A Single Blade Works
by St. Provena
Summary: A thousand low-quality blade cannot match one that has been taken to its ultimate peak. Once striving for the ultimate blade, a sword that could cut both karma and destiny, a forgotten swordsmith inhabits the body of a perfect vessel. The ultimate weapon shall be forged from his origin and he shall cut all evil that exists in this world. That is the purpose... of Emiya Shirou.
1. Chapter 1

Kiritsugu Emiya blinked as he stared at the young boy in the middle of his dojo, who was frozen in shock with surprise as the wooden bamboo sword he held in his hands hovered unsteadily over his head.

"Shirou... What are you doing?" He asked with narrowed eyes, bewildered at such a sight. "Where did you get that shinai? I don't recall ever purchasing one for you."

Shirou, his adoptive son, fidgeted nervously with an embarrassed look on his face. "U-um... Taiga came by early today and she brought her kendo equipment with her. She said I could mess around with it while she was in the bathroom so..."

Ah, of course. Tuesday already. Miss Fujimura, a granddaughter of one of his close associates, had built up an odd friendship with him. She often babysat Shirou while he was away doing 'work', though he'd argue that it was more of the other way around. In exchange, he taught her how to speak english as that was one of her main subjects of focus on her way to becoming a teacher.

She often came by early, but this was the first time she brought her kendo equipment with her. Perhaps she had a local tourney to participate in? Well... at least one that wouldn't kick her out for her disrespectful attitude.

Speaking of which...

"Good morning, Kiritsugu!"

He sighed as the young woman bursted into the little dojo, her brown hair tied back into a small ponytail. She flashed him a bubbly smile as she approached, carefree as usual.

"Good morning, Taiga." He replied back with a nod and a smile of his own, though it contained much less energy. "I apologize for waking up so late. I've forgotten that we were supposed to meet today."

"Ah! It's fine! I didn't wait that long anyway!" Taiga waved her hand dismissively before she turned towards Shirou with a lopsided grin. "Ooh! Look at you, Shirou! You really like that shinai, don't'cha?"

Shirou let the tip of the bamboo sword hit the ground experimentally. "It's sort of heavy... but it doesn't feel too bad. The texture feels really nice and it balances neatly in my hand."

"Right? Right? The feel of a bamboo sword is simply superb! Nothing beats that, I tell ya!" A sudden glint appeared in her eyes, making Kiritsugu tense up with slight dread. "Of course, there is one other thing! And that is..."

Much to Kiritsugu's horror, he watched as Taiga bounded over to her gym bag over in the corner and pulled out another shinai while standing triumphantly.

"...To cross strikes with another fighter!" She declared as she pointed the sword at Shirou, who froze in bewilderment at the sudden development. "Two people can convey their feelings through crossing blades! That is why kendo is such a wonderful sport! Allow me to demonstrate!"

"U-um..." Shirou eyed her shinai warily as she waved it around dangerously like a wand.

"Taiga... I don't approve of Shirou partaking in such an activity. He could get hurt, especially if you get too... excited." Kiritsugu said with a small frown as Taiga bounded up to Shirou.

"Oh don't worry about it, Kerry! It's not like we're using real swords! At the very most, he'll just get a few light bruises that'll go away in a couple hours!"

"But it's you who's attacking me..." Shirou muttered.

"Really? You don't trust one of the greatest kendo masters in Japan to hold back during a mock battle? You wound me, Shirou!" Taiga placed a hand over her heart dramatically, making Shirou and Kiritsugu sigh at her antics. "Very well! If that's the case, I'll let you have the first strike! I won't even counter!"

Shirou glanced at Kiritsugu, waiting for his approval. He truly was an obedient kid...

"So long as you don't overexert yourself." He glanced at Taiga with a stern look. "And don't go overboard, please. If either of you get hurt, I get hit with the responsibility."

Although he said that, he doubted Raiga would get mad at him. After all, even he knew that his granddaughter's antics couldn't be controlled by anyone. When she set her mind to something, there was little anyone could do to stop her.

"Alright! Now, come here Shirou! You're going to want to set the sword in front you like this-" She paused for a second. "Actually... you're already doing it! Wow! Have you been watching any kendo matches recently?"

Kiritsugu turned towards Shirou and his eyebrows rose with curiosity as, indeed, Taiga was right. Shirou, who had never once seen an actual kendo match, was frozen in the beginning stance of a kendo master. His eyes were forward, his sword set in front of him, and his legs were spaced apart evenly as if he was ready to react at a moments notice.

He'd be lying if he said that this hadn't had shocked him. He had most certainly not taught Shirou how to do something like this, yet he had settled into the proper stance so naturally without guidance whatsoever. A strange sense of foreboding rose up in the back of his mind, making him wonder if he should perhaps actually stop this.

Even in his declining years, his senses had never failed him. Something was about to happen. Whether good or bad, he did not know.

"This position just seems natural..." Shirou muttered shyly, finding Taiga's gaze on him slightly unnerving as she eyed him up with a critical eye. She checked his grip, his tension, and his posture for several moments before standing back with an incredulous look.

"I'm impressed, Shirou. Getting into a proper stance may seem easy enough, but it's difficult for first-timers. Some are too tight or their feet are too wide, but you have a perfect balance of both! Are you perhaps some secret prodigy?" She shook her head. "Well, getting in the stance is half the battle I suppose. The real part starts now."

She settled down into her own stance across from Shirou, perfectly mirroring him. "Now... Try and strike me."

"Hit you? Are you sure?" Shirou asked with a frown, obviously disliking the idea.

"You're not taking a full swing, Shirou. Kendo isn't about bludgeoning the other opponent to death. At most, you're just giving a hard tap to my midsection." She cocked her head. "Well, I suppose it'll hurt a little more without the proper equipment. Just aim for my midsection and you should be fine."

"Okay..."

Kiritsugu sighed. Of course Taiga would be okay with having an untrained child strike at her with a bamboo stick. He was more worried that she'd end up getting serious and start beating Shirou subconsciously.

Luckily, it didn't seem as if that would be the case this time.

***SWOSH***

***CRACK***

Shirou had moved. Or at least, he appeared to move only briefly. With a gesture that was so swift and agile with no wasted movement, Shirou's shinai smacked Taiga's sword out of the way and tapped her on the stomach. It was move that even a master of the sword would applaud as perfect and even Taiga found herself gaping when her mind caught up to what had happened.

"W-what?" Taiga muttered as Shirou lowered his sword, fidgeting with a nervous look on his face. "How did you do that?"

"I just... sorta did it." Shirou muttered as he glanced down at his sword. "I felt like I knew what I had to do to hit you and my body just acted on its own. If you were serious I doubt I would have managed to-"

"Are you kidding me?!" Taiga exclaimed with a wide grin as she stared down at him as if she had just struck oil. "You just executed the most perfect move I had ever seen! Regardless of what you believe, I did have my guard up. I wasn't going to let you show me up even if we were in a mock battle, but it appears that it didn't matter! Honestly, you must certainly be a prodigy! Who would have thunk it?"

"Certainly not me. It appears my son has found his calling in life."

Shirou blushed as the two adults heaped praises on him. He truly didn't see what was so special about what he did. Could Taiga not do the same easily? Despite the results, he could not believe that what he had done was impressive in any way. He just followed his instincts and his body took care of the rest.

Kiritsugu saw how bashful his son was and he was honestly amused. Regardless, his mind was wondering about what he had just witnessed. The fluidity Shirou had achieved in that moment was not normal. Far from it. A child could not have pulled off such a thing against an adult. Taiga had blown it off as Shirou being a prodigy, but he had a hunch that it was something else.

The way he gripped that sword... flowing like water while being as swift as the wind...

Perhaps it was his...

* * *

_His origin was sword._

_It would only be a couple years later when he found out what that truly meant. Ever since that faithful day when he picked up that wooden sword, his father had noticed the increasing change within him._

_Taiga would regularly bring practice shinai with her to their house and let him play around with it, testing his newfound gift for the sword. Little by little, day by day, his movements would become more fluid and natural. He practiced the most basic of strikes over and over, but to the eyes of an untrained professional it looked more like the techniques employed by an expert._

_Eventually, he had improved so much that even Taiga was starting to see it as unnatural by any standards._

_After a few weeks of growth, Kiritsugu had done some sort of magical ritual on him. It had been one of the few times he had willingly used magecraft in front of him and he truly had no idea of the intricacies of it at the time, but Kiritsugu had looked to be shaken at the end of it. He had only muttered something about how his true nature had to have been impossible, but he never went further than that._

_"Your origin is a sword. There is nothing you need to know other than that."_

_Indeed. There was nothing else he needed to know other than that. With only that slight bit of information, the change had already begun._

_Sword... _

_Sword..._

_His body is a sharpened sword..._

_Those words had hit close to home, though it had not reached the complete truth. He was indeed a sword, the sharpest of swords. A sword that would cut all that was evil within his sight. That was the sole purpose for his existence._

_Because at the end of his life, Kiritsugu had imparted upon him his final wish. The final goal that shall allow him to soar to new heights, yet also had a chance of sending him straight to hell. The shining star that he could not reach during his lifetime of hardship. _

_Aim for it. Cut a path to it. If anyone could do it, surely he could._

_Because..._

_This one sword, above all else, was meant to save others._

* * *

"I want this to be yours."

Shirou stared with wonder and awe as his father held out a katana with a simple brass and wooden sheathe. It wasn't ornately designed, but it must not have come cheap.

"But... Why?"

"Because I have a feeling that you'll need it in the future." Kiritsugu declared with a solemn look on his face. "I've never let you hold an actual sword before... but I believe you're ready. You can bear such a responsibility, yes?"

Shirou nodded. "Of course, dad. I'll never use this sword to unjustly take the life of another."

For him, a sword was a weapon meant to cut something without fail. No movement should be wasted, no action too extravagant. Thus, the simple action of drawing a sword from its sheathe merely invokes death. To bear your blade in view of others is to declare your intent to kill. For this reason, he had never touched a real sword until now.

It was a trivial concern for others, but it was a rule he always kept to heart. Would you draw a gun from its holster for no reason? Nay. The same goes for a sword as well, for if one was not careful innocent blood could be spilled.

"I'm glad you understand. You truly are a thousand times better than me when I was your age." Kiritsugu laughed as he turned his gaze upwards to the moon above. "Back then, I spent my time chasing a naive dream. I missed out on my childhood."

Shirou raised an eyebrow at that. "A naive dream? What did you dream about?"

"Ah... Nothing realistic. Perhaps you'd even find it stupid." Kiritsugu snorted, though a small forlorn smile was on his face. "Back then... what I wanted to be when I grew up... was a superhero."

"A... superhero? Like in those famous western comics?"

"The very same. The idea was enthralling. Every life is precious, no matter what. That's why I wanted to save as many people I could from all of the suffering in the world."

He shook his head and sighed, a hint of regret shining through.

"But there was only so much a single man can do. To save one person means to give up on another. The tools I had... the training I had... were all too insufficient for my ideal. I always felt that no matter how hard I tried, I was not even a single step closer towards being a hero."

A humorless chuckle escaped his lips. "Besides, being a hero is a one-time thing. I'm far past the time for such a thing."

A human could not wipe away the stains of evil. To do so would mean to get rid of nearly everything that made one human. It was an impossible task, which was why he sought a miracle nearly a decade ago.

Too bad that miracle had been nothing more than a sham. The price for such a thing had been too high... and nearly destroyed his will to live.

"Then..."

Shirou stared at him with determination in his eyes, causing Kiritsugu's breath to hitch in his throat.

"I'll become a hero for you. I'll fulfill your dream."

"...I see."

He looked away, a strange feeling washing over him. This was it. The die had been cast. That look of determination and hope in his son's eyes was something he knew all too well.

He should have been angry at such a declaration. They were the misguided words of a boy who knew nothing of how truly evil the world could be. No matter how hard you fought, the future will always be dyed with suffering and despair for those who couldn't be saved.

But yet...

"Then take up your sword and chase that dream."

...Perhaps he won't make the same mistakes he did.

* * *

"What an old memory..."

Shirou Emiya sighed as he wiped his brow and stood up, surveying his handiwork. The school gym he had volunteered to clean after hours looked pristine and spotless. It was almost as if it had been built just recently.

He glanced up at the moon hanging overhead, realizing that he had certainly stayed way past normal hours. With a sigh, he began to put away all of the cleaning tools.

"I really hope you're not watching, father."

He doubted the hero work his dad spoke of consisted of cleaning up old gyms and fixing air conditioning systems. Sadly, he was still only in high school. It's not like he could just drop out and go 'save' people as he was right now. He needed an education first.

That and it wasn't as if Taiga would let him go out on his own to 'fight evil' without her consent.

Once he was done stashing away all of the cleaning tools in the nearby closet, he shut the door and began heading home. From the looks of it, it was past dinner time so he wouldn't have a chance to make a proper meal. He'd just have to compensate with a bigger breakfast tomorrow.

As he was just about to step outside school grounds, however, a loud sound rang through the air, making him jump in surprise.

***CRACK***

***SHINK***

_"What the hell?"_

Shirou was instantly on guard as he turned towards the direction in which the sounds were coming from. Moving quickly, but quietly, he sought to investigate the disturbance. Were there troublemakers still roaming the school at this hour?

He had half a mind to just go out and reprimand whoever was causing all this noise. It was close to bedtime! People would be most certainly trying to sleep by-

He froze as he stepped in view of the courtyard, a gust of wind pushing past his face.

Two forms sped across the field, crashing into each other and sending shockwaves across the courtyard. They were nothing but blurs, casually surpassing the speed a normal human could even produce. One wore black armor with a red shroud draped over him while the other wore what appeared to be a blue spandex suit. It was beyond abnormal, but the situation was truly real.

The man in blue brought the butt end of a crimson spear around, smacking it against the edge of the red man's black sword and sent it sprawling out of his hand and into the dirt. As he tried to step in his guard, however, the man brought a white sword around and fended him off without fail.

_"Woah..."_

Normally such a conflict would not be easily seen by any normal human due to the inhumane speed the two presented, yet Shirou found himself discerning their movements with a critical eye. Time seemed to slow down enough as he analyzed their fighting pattern, finding himself enthralled with their dance of death...

...Until he realized the gravity of what he had just encountered.

_"What the hell should I do?"_

Should he stop them? Should he let them be? This entire situation was so bizzare that he honestly had no clue what to do. Whatever the case, he was certain he wasn't supposed to be here to witness this.

He could try to stop them, but that'd most likely end up with him dead. He could tell those two were really trying to kill each other, though the guy in red seemed to be at a slight disadvantage. Trying to intervene would most likely get himself killed without a weapon.

Yeah, even then his sword skills would probably be no match for these guys. Best to just leave and forget-

As his foot moved backwards to back out slowly, the soil beneath made slightly more noise than necessary. In an instant, the two forces stopped moving.

"Who goes there?!"

_"Oh no..."_

He began sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him. Every instinct in his body told him to run; to get the hell away from those two weapons of mass destruction before they descended upon him.

Pivoting on his heels, he turned into the school and began climbing the stairs. It may have seem counterproductive to run into the school to get away, but he knew the highest chance of success for him to get out of this alive would be to hide. If he could just climb out the window and drop into the forest, he could possibly hide in the green until it was safe.

Yes, a sound plan. He knew the entire layout of this place by heart. Out of all available options, this was the highest chance for his survival. He could investigate this further another day, and he couldn't do that if he was dea-

_"Why can't I feel my everything?"_

His body had stopped running, jerking as if it had run into an invisible wall. That was odd...

Then the pain came.

The inside of his chest suddenly felt as if he had just swallowed lava, pressure building up like a dam. Struggling through the pain to look downwards, he noticed a deep cut that had opened over his heart as if something had stabbed into him.

"Sorry about this, boy. You're truly unlucky."

There was a shimmer as the man in blue appeared before him out of thin air, his hand extended as he grasped the shaft of the red spear that now currently pierced his heart. His red eyes stared at him with a small hint of pity, almost as if he regretted having driven his spear through his heart.

"You witnessed me, so I'm afraid I cannot let you live. Sorry kid, just orders."

The man pulled the spear out cleanly and Shirou felt himself go weightless as he face planted onto the ground in a growing pool of his own blood. The man just stared down at him for a couple more seconds before sighing and disappearing from view, reverting back into shimmering particles.

Strangely enough, he wasn't in much pain as he lied there. It was a little cold, but that was it. On the other hand, this was certainly not how he expected to die. If anything, he was more regretful that he'd never become a hero like he promised his father.

_"I'm sorry, dad..."_

As his consciousness began to drift away, he heard the sound of a girl. She sounded distressed, but he couldn't muster the energy to look at her. He could only see a small shade of red as he finally blacked out into nothingness.

* * *

He gasped as he woke up abruptly, sitting up in a cold sweat.

"The hell?"

Placing a hand over his chest instinctively, he found that the wound that had once been over his heart was no longer there. He felt completely fine, almost as if the previous events from before had never occurred at all.

"W-was that a dream?" He muttered as he took several deep breaths, trying to test whether or not this was all real.

Judging by how he could feel the air entering his lungs, it was.

He stood up on wobbly feet, shaking his head to clear his mind. For now, he wasn't going to question it. He could sort all of this out later. For now, he should just be glad he was alive.

As he begun to make his way out of the school, he paused as his foot brushed up against something particularly solid. Looking down, he found his gaze drawn to a small red jewel necklace that laid unceremoniously before him. Raising an eyebrow, he bent down and picked it up. It was cold in his hand, but he found himself enamored by it.

Perhaps someone dropped it earlier and he had simply been too busy to notice. Regardless, he couldn't just leave it here. It had to be important to someone.

Picking it up carefully, he began his trek back home in a hurried fashion. He wasn't going to stick around to see that blue man again.

* * *

As he opened the door to his estate, he groaned in relief as he threw himself down onto the wooden floor with a thud. He was too damn tired to pull out the futon, so he was probably sleeping here tonight.

If he could even go to sleep, that is.

"Just what the hell were those two?" He muttered as he stared at the ceiling. "They weren't ordinary humans... that's for sure..."

Groaning, he cupped his face with his hands. "I was nearly killed by one of them."

He shook his head. "No, I wasn't nearly killed. I was really killed. Yet despite that, I'm somehow still here..."

It was a miracle. By all medical accounts, he should have been certainly dead. Even with access to a hospital, surviving a stab wound to the heart by a gigantic metal pole was all but inconceivable. Your body simply couldn't repair such damage on its own.

That girl who he had heard mere moments before blacking out... It was most likely her doing that saved him. What she did, or rather, what she had most likely done, was something that he only had a vague understanding about.

It must have been magecraft. His father had given him a very brief understanding of it, but not so much that he'd be able to claim to have a Ph.D. in the subject. Still, what else could have explained his heart being healed right now?

He froze as the chiming of bells echoed throughout the room. Above him, the air became distorted and a humanoid shape began to form. Staring down at him, with a feral look and a familiar red spear, was the man from earlier.

Immediately, Shirou rolled to the side before he could find himself run through once again. As he did so, his hand found the katana his father had gifted him and quickly pulled the blade from its sheath.

"Damn, kid. You're really making me work, aren't you?"

The man glanced up at him casually as he pulled his spear out of the floor and lazily held it up, pointing it at Shirou who eyed it warily.

"I mean, not many people can say that they could make me kill them twice, after all. I really am getting quite sloppy."

Shirou grimaced. "I don't suppose you could at least tell me why you want to kill me?"

The man blinked before laughing. "Sorry, kiddo. No can do. That's a luxury you won't be given, sad to say. I can give you a quick and painless death, however."

His spear flashed forward like a red laser, fully intending to pierce his heart like last time. Now though, Shirou was ready.

Sparks flew as Shirou's sword met the strike at an angle, deflecting it just enough for him to only receive a graze along his arm. The man blinked in surprise, seemingly amazed at what had just transpired.

"Wow, that was a good parry." The man complimented. "You're not half bad at swordsmanship, kid."

The man eyed him up with a newfound look of a wolf sizing up its prey, making his hairs stand up on end.

"It's faint... but I sense mana in you. Well, at least we now know how you survived."

The man raised his spear and thrusted once again, but found himself being parried like before. Shirou just bit back a hiss of pain as the spear cut along his other arm.

"Good form and technique. Do try to keep it interesting."

Shirou just remained silent as he backpedaled out of the room and to the outdoors, careful to try and maintain the distance between them. As it stood, the man had the reach advantage with his weapon and clearly superior physical abilities. His best chance would be to try and escape instead of fight head-on.

The man didn't appear to be going all out against him and was delivering purposely slower attacks than earlier. Was he bored? Maybe. Be that as it may be, he'd take advantage of such things.

He dodged left down the hallway as the spear sailed inches from his face. Coming to the outdoors, he slashed through the glass and made his way to the courtyard-

Only for him to gasp in shock as a heavy kick impacted the side of his ribs, sending him flying against the shack with a sickening crunch.

"You won't be able to outrun me, kid. At least try to die with a little dignity." The man called out to him with a casual smile.

Shirou didn't bother to respond and stumbled into the shack, wheezing for air. He was effectively trapping himself, this much he knew. There were no other exit from this room, but his body fought to preserve even just a single millisecond of his life. Even if it was futile, he wouldn't just lay down and die.

He felt a disturbance in the air behind him and his body reacted instantly, his hand finding a stray sheet lying on a table beside him. Reinforcing it to the best of his ability, he spun around and tried to deflect the incoming spear.

But even with reinforcement which made the sheet as hard as tempered steel, it was useless as the force of the strike caused it to explode into a million pieces and sent him flying backwards.

"Geez, kid. That was a decent move you just pulled."

The man looked down at him with a critical eye, but it held a hint of slight respect. "Still, it's odd. The magecraft you employed was amateurish, but you think fast on your feet. Not to mention that sword technique you use earlier... Perhaps you were supposed to be the final master?"

He shook his head. "Well, not like it matters. Just do me a favor and hold still, will ya? I'd rather not make this any messier than it already is."

Shirou glanced up at him with an amazed look. How could this man be so casual about killing him like that? Did he honestly think that any self-respecting person would just lay down and die at his request?

"...I refuse."

Shirou forced himself up to his feet and gripped the katana in his hand so hard his knuckles turned white.

"I won't allow myself to be killed... by someone like you!" He declared as his eyes shone with determination, making the man blink in surprise at his continued will to fight.

"Face it, kid. I hold the advantage over you in every way. With your physical limits, your sword won't even be able to touch me." The man declared. It wasn't a boast, but a simple statement of fact. Before even a second passed, he could pierce this kid's heart and be out of here. Yet, something seemed to hold him back. This boy had stirred up his curiosity.

"That may be so, but I'll find a way. To realize my dream... the wish that lies deep in my heart..."

The warehouse began to shine with an ethereal light and the man tensed up, sensing something wrong. Where was all this light coming-

His eyes widened as he spotted a faded, but still operable, magic circle in the corner of the room. How could he be so stupid? He'd been so focused on the boy that he had completely neglected to pay attention to anything else. Was the boy trying to summon his own servant?

Enough. He couldn't allow this. He had to stop this immediately befor-

"...I'll reach you somehow! My blade will find you and cut you down!"

The man balked in surprise as Shirou rushed forward in what any magus would have dubbed as a suicidal effort. He swung his sword, heedless of anything else as the light began to envelop him.

He was, after all, a sword. His blade needed to only cut his target. Everything else came second.

* * *

_"Yes... this is it."_

_I finally found it. What I had sought during my life, I now find after my death._

_...The perfect sword._

_Not one that could simply cut flesh._

_Not one that could simply cut bone._

_Not even one that could terminate life._

_I sought one that would free onesself from karma. A sword that could crush bonds, fate, and destiny._

_I came close in life, but all of my products ended in failure. While many would praise my swords as weapons without equal, they all fell a step short from the peak I wished to reach. The tools I had weren't enough, neither were my techniques, nor my materials. I could not smelt a sword into the realm of the gods._

_But now..._

_This boy was perfect. My summoner, my contractor, he possessed the perfect body. The perfect mentality. Similar to me in both body and spirit, but more... refined. If he had been with me back in the day, one wouldn't be blamed if we were thought to be related._

_Perhaps he is a distant descendent of mine..._

_An origin of sword with an affinity to the sword... everything about him screamed for cutting down evil. I had originally answered the summon with the intent on using the grail to perfect my craft, but..._

_No. I had what I needed right here._

_I won't operate as a hero, but as an old man who will selfishly use this body for his own gain. _

_"You seek the power to reach him, boy. With my help... your sword will reach the tallest peaks and the depths of the ocean. Nothing, whether they be god, man, or demon, shall be exempt from your blade. You will cut them all down... to reach the truth."_

**_100% compatibility rating._**

_"Now accept this boon, summoner. Show me the sharpness of your edge!"_

* * *

"Impossible!"

Lancer, the great hero Cu Chulainn, found himself blown backwards from the newfound force the kid's blade released. His arms shook from the unexpected shock, he himself having not braced properly in order to properly receive it.

This boy... he had changed. Where the hell did all of this newfound strength come from?

He glanced at the redhead and his eyes widened when he examined him. His entire attire had changed completely. Instead of the modern school uniform he had once worn, he now had draped over him a white cloak decorated with japanese style designs. His shirt was gone, revealing a toned chest with not an ounce of fat and a red and black igote over his left arm.

He wore black pants tied together by a white belt and a small utility pouch over his left thigh. Armored straps protected his lower legs, but ended at the sandals that revealed his feet.

The presence he had... the strange attire... it all screamed of a legendary hero! Yet, how was that possible? There should have been a summoned familiar to greet him, but the boy had come swinging on his-

"No way..." He muttered as realization dawned on him, the lance dropping slightly. "You fused with your heroic spirit?"

That should have been an impossibility, but the proof was standing right in front of him. For a human to mesh with the soul of a heroic spirit... it was thought that no human would be able to bear the strain of such a thing! Not unless their souls were nearly completely compatible, and even that was a stretch.

But what did he care?

A feral grin lit his features as he readied his lance. This wasn't what he expected when he went to kill the boy, but he was going to milk this moment for all it was worth.

"Fine then. I'll give you a chance, brat! If you've taken in the soul of a heroic spirit, then you better be prepared to take on their burden as well!"

Shirou's eyes narrowed as the man charged, crossing the distance in the time it'd take for lightning to strike the ground. His red spear streaked forward as usual, but this time... he could see it clearly.

Raising his sword with more fluidity than he had ever felt his life, he parried the strike away and aimed for the man's neck with the intent to go for a certain kill.

The man responded immediately, twisiting around and bringing the butt end of his spear around to use his reach to intercept him. His sword immediately changed direction, blocking the counter strike and pushing the man back with renewed vigour.

They clashed. Over and over, a dance of death where even a misstep would result in death. Blades of wind sheared the walls with their attacks, nature's laws falling apart around them.

While Lancer held the reach advantage with the use of his spear, Shirou's katana found his weakest points. He struck at the most optimal position, ensuring that he himself would never be overwhelmed in their dance.

His blade gleamed in the moonlight as he ducked underneath a strike that would have separated his head from his shoulders. He sliced at Lancer's unprotected leg, but the man backed out of the way in time and only suffered a slight nick that drew only a small amount of blood.

Lancer hissed, but his face was one of excitement. How long has it been since he could face someone man to man like this? Berserker had been different seeing as he couldn't exactly kill him, and Caster had been easy pickings who ran away from him. Now though, he was locked in a match that could very easily end up with him dead if he wasn't careful.

And it was _glorious._

"This is great, kid! You're truly one of a kind!" He barked as he backed away and took up a stance. "Not once did I think that I'd clash blades with you modern folk, but you're truly exceptional! Heroic Spirit or not, be proud you managed to fight toe to toe with me so far!"

Shirou said nothing, simply holding his sword up in a calm stance. Words weren't needed. A sword must cut until the opponent is defeated.

Lancer raised an eyebrow. "Well, you certainly became a lot more quiet. Kinda boring, if ya ask me. Just becase we're enemies doesn't mean we cannot talk, but I suppose that's your heroic spirit's personality."

He shifted the grip of his spear and pointed the tip towards the ground. A second later, a bloodcurling aura surrounded the man and permeated the air around him with the inevitabl feeling of bloodlust and death.

Shirou's guard was instantly up. The man was definitely preparing for something. Probably an ultimate attack of sorts that would attempt to finish him in a single blow.

"Anyway, I'm a nice guy. As thanks for such an exhillerating experience in quite a while, I'll bestow upon you my ultimate attack." The man gave a feral grin as the spear literally shook in his hands as it cried out for blood. "Be grateful, for very few have the honor of witnessing this technique."

Could he block such a thing? This man was finally getting serious. This strike would defintely not be like the last couple hundred. If he didn't react fast enough, he had a feeling that he'd be run through instantly. He couldn't allow such a thing to happen.

_"Stand your ground. You have nothing to fear."_

His eyes widened as an unfamiliar voice rang through his head.

_"Intercept and cut. You're an unbreakable blade that can cut anything. So long as it exists, you can cut it. All you have to do is perceive it." _

Information ran through him in that moment. Techniques that he had been unfamiliar with resounded through his mind alongside memories that were not of his own. A lifetime's worth of data was shared with him in that second as if he were a computer.

_Holy Grail War. 7 Servants. One Wish. Karma. Fate. Destiny-_

_-The perfect blade._

"Now accept this blow! I shall pierce your heart!"

Lancer rushed forward, his spear screaming for blood as it pulled back.

Shirou raised his sword and prepared himself as the man drew closer.

_Death approaches. _

"GAE-"

_Stand firm. Your sword shall ward off death._

"-BOLG!"

With a roar, the man thrust his spear forward and the weapon screamed as it aimed for his heart. To anyone, death was all but assured. The curse imbued on this weapon guaranteed such a fate.

But fate meant nothing to a sword that could cut anything.

Raising his gleaming blade, Shirou eyed the strike with a critical eye-

-And met the strike head on.

Sword met spear and the rules of the universe shattered around them.

* * *

**Yeah, I'm back. **

**Sorry for this super long hiatus I've been on. School and ACT and SAT just kept getting in my way and I never got the time to keep working on stories in a timely manner. **

**On the plus side, my ACT score went from 26 to 28 so I guess it was kind of worth it. 30 would have been cool though xD.**

**If you're wondering what's going on with Unshackled Route, I'm going to give that story a break for a while. New ideas popped into my head and I cannot leave them alone no matter how hard I try. **

**I may return to the story in the future, but for now I want to focus on new projects. Sorry!**

**I'll try to update more frequently now, but I'm currently in the middle of tennis season so I cannot promise regular updates. Still, I'll try to update at least more frequently!**

**Again, thank you for all my readers for staying with me!**


	2. Chapter 2

Lancer's arms tensed as he thrust forward, his spear screeching uncontrollably for the heart of his enemy. The bloodlust it emitted would have stopped the heart of anyone just by being in its presence, yet he gripped it without fear.

He was the only one who could control it. The tidal wave of certain death was his to command.

Once activated, the curse imbued within the spear would activate and his perfected technique will take it to its utmost limit. Reversing the laws of cause and effect, the target's heart will be fated to be pierced. Once thrust, the heart is pierced. Once pierced, the lance is thrust.

Skill alone would not allow one to bypass this technique. Nothing but luck could allow one to survive a mortal injury. One who had fate on their side had the possibility of receiving a better scenario than a broken heart, though the number of heroes who held a rank high enough to do so was far and few in between.

Still, Shirou Emiya wasn't someone who needed the forces of luck to determine his destiny.

For him, his sword was all that was needed.

He met the blow head on, catching it in front with cold certainty as Lancer smirked in amusement. As soon as his spear met any obstructions, the curse would take effect to redirect the spear back to the heart. Bending in impossible angles that broke the laws of physics wasn't beyond it.

But it was ultimately fated to never occur.

Lancer's eyes widened as his spear was warded off to the side, perfectly parried away. An impossibility, but it had just happened in front of him. There was no denying what had just occurred.

The mana that had frozen in the air had been blown away. The spear which would have reached the **'truth' **of piercing the heart would ultimately never reach its destination.

**The curse failed to work.**

He didn't have enough time to react properly as Shirou stepped into his guard, his sword aiming to slice apart him clean down the middle. Pushing his muscles to the limit, he twisted to the side-

-and found his arm completely severed.

Lancer howled in pain as he backed off, attempting to recover his bearings as a wave of pain assaulted the right side of his body. His severed arm lay uselessly on the floor, a waterfall of blood coming out of the hole.

Any normal man would have bled out in seconds. For a servant, however, a wound like this ultimately meant little in the grand scheme of things. So long as his spiritual core remained intact, he'd be able to continue fighting.

But this... certainly was disadvantageous for him.

He could wield his crimson spear with one hand no problem. Still, the options available to him without his other arm were significantly reduced. With even his ultimate thrust so easily warded away, he didn't like his odds.

"Damn it all..."

Shirou eyed him coldly, his gaze fixed on his bleeding stump. Lancer chuckled. The boy had turned into a completely different person. That gaze was one of a veteran who had decided on a single course of action. No matter what, he'd keep targeting his right side until he was slain.

...Perhaps he had misjudged this boy just a little.

"You win this round, kid. I didn't expect you to deflect my ultimate blow," He conceded. "That heroic spirit of yours must be something. Even if you're borrowing its power, the fact that you could wound me is no easy feat."

Shirou's eyebrows rose as Lancer hefted his spear and turned to walk away. "Are you running?"

"A strategic retreat. I can't fight you as well as I'd like as I am now. My stupid master ordered me with a command spell to simply test the waters against any of my opponents so my strength is a bit restrained at the moment." Lancer shrugged as he strolled away casually like he had not just attempted to murder him a couple of minutes ago.

"Then will you return?" Shirou asked, though he felt as if he knew the answer.

"Of course. It's inevitable. Like it or not, you're in this war until the very end." Lancer said as he hopped to the top of the courtyard wall. Turning around, he offered his signature feral smile that promised blood.

"Try not to die so soon, kid. When the time comes, I'll show you my true strength and we can finally have a proper duel."

With that, the servant hopped off and disappeared into the night. Seeing as he was gone, Shirou lowered his sword and exhaled slowly to get rid of the tension in both his shoulders and mind.

Now that the danger was gone, everything came crashing into his mind with a million swirling thoughts.

That... was a servant.

A hero from history...

One amongst seven who would fight for a wish granting cup.

And now he held one of those beings inside his body.

"Well that explains this newfound feeling..." Shirou muttered as he looked down at the katana in his hands. The weapon felt like an extra appendage rather than a tool created by man. His mind didn't really focus on it during the fight, but he found himself becoming more fluid with the blade. Far more fluid than prior. His strikes were more powerful with less effort and his reaction time had skyrocketed. As he was now, he could slice a flying bullet in half.

Still, he was slightly surprised. Concerning the identity of his heroic spirit, it was impossible for him not to know his name.

**Sengo Muramasa**, the demon swordsmith. Perhaps one of the most famous smiths in human history, his name being known even outside of Japan due to modern media.

The heroic spirit within him didn't speak nor utter a single word to him, but only imparted knowledge. Knowledge of what he had just awakened to. A dark side of the world he had thought he had known through his father. A great war that has been reenacted multiple times, a secret society of magicians like his father, and the idea that nearly every supernatural being told of in myths and legends had once been true had shaken him.

The world of magecraft was a terrifying place with monsters like these. What little knowledge of magecraft his father had imparted onto him was all but a small grain of sand in an extensive desert. He couldn't fathom such beings living in the modern day.

But they do. The truth of the matter was that they lived in the shadows, out of prying eyes.

And now he has found himself in the machinations of one of their rituals.

His hand gripped his katana. This... was a problem. He couldn't allow such a thing to continue. Not in his home city. Not in such a populated area. These servants were too powerful, too uncontrollable. Sooner or later, someone innocent was going to get hurt. Judging by how that servant had made an effort to track and kill him, he didn't believe that any of the masters had qualms about killing civilians.

So he had to put a stop to this. He had to put an end to this ritual before anyone got hurt. With this heroic spirit's power, he could do so.

Now, all he had to do was come up with a plan...

His ears perked up as the sound of distant footsteps reached him. It came from outside his house, but he could sense the mystical presence of two individuals. One of held a far more prevalent presence than the other by a wide margin, similar to that of the servant he had just fought.

"A servant and a master?" He muttered as he turned to head back into the house. How annoying... was this what he was going to deal with every night? Constant intrusions by random strangers?

He quickly made his way through his house, cleaning the small amount of debris that had scattered earlier. He could clean the rest properly later after he took care of his uninvited guests.

As he pushed through the doors and traversed to the street, he held his katana at the ready as he felt their presence get closer. They were turning the corner, a hurried quickness in their step. From the sound of it, they were also conversing with each other.

"-have to hurry, Archer! Who knows if Lancer has caught up to him?" A girl's sharp voice exclaimed.

"He probably has. The dog does his work quick. We're probably already too late." A deeper, male voice replied with an uninterested tone.

"Oh don't give me that, Archer! You're a servant, aren't you? Hurry up and double-time it!"

Shirou blinked. Odd. That girl's voice was very familiar. Where had he heard it before?

He shook his head. No. It didn't matter. All he had to do was defeat and subdue them. After that, he could figure out who they were. Gripping the katana, he prepared for the moment the duo rounded the corner-

*FLASH*

"WAH!"

Shirou halted in quiet surprise as the edge of his blade stopped itself mere inches away from smooth pristine skin. Staring back at him, in a red shirt with black shorts, was a young woman with black hair around his age. Her eyes were widened in surprise as she stared at him, wonder and a slight hint of fear as she realized just how close the steel was to her throat.

Damn... No wonder, that presence and voice felt familiar. She was...

"...Tohsaka?" He muttered.

"...Emiya?" The girl whispered with quiet recognition as she sized him up, stepping back. "No... wait... what?! What's with that outfit?!"

Just his luck. Tohsaka Rin, the red devil of Homurahara High School, was a mage and master in this Holy Grail War. The girl who was known as both a model student and a wolf in sheep's clothing. For some reason or another, she was the target of both admiration and fear from everyone in her highschool.

He grimaced at the thought. "Well, it's complicated."

"Complicated?! Your damn right it's complicated! I came running to make sure that that stupid Lancer didn't end up killing you again, but here I found you waving swords around all willy nilly!" Tohsaka growled, her fear suddenly lost as she glared at him.

Shirou blinked. "Oh, so you were worried for me?" He paused. "Wait, was it you that saved me earlier? When I got pierced by that spear?"

"W-well, yes! It's not like I had any choice in the matter, though! Do you know how bad it'd be as the second owner if I were to let someone die on my grounds without-" She trailed off as she gave him a good look. "H-hey Emiya, what's with you? Now that I have a good look at you, you seem... really different?'

"Tohsaka, you just asked me about my attire."

"No, idiot! I'm talking about your aura! I never once detected any magical energy from you when at school, but the energy you have now is palpable! It's easily a hundred times more potent than a regular magus! Almost as if-"

_"If he's a servant."_

The air shimmered next to Tohsaka and a tan man garbed in red appeared. Shirou recognized him as the one fighting Lancer earlier, making him a servant as well. Though unlike lancer, this man appeared to be much more serious in his demeanor as he fixated him with a stern look.

And it was odd, but... he felt weirdly familiar somehow...

"So you finally showed yourself, Archer. Where were you when Emiya decided to point a sword at me?"

"It's not my fault you decided to run ahead without taking care to be mindful of your surroundings." The servant replied casually, earning another sharp glare from the magus. "Though I will admit that I was... taken by surprise. You, boy, have some explaining to do. How did you manage to survive Lancer once again?"

As Tohsaka sent him another questioning look, Shirou sighed. Well, at least he could possibly get someone with a more professional outlook on this sort of subject.

Sheathing his sword, he gestured for them to follow.

"I'll explain everything inside. Come on. I want to fix up my house before tomorrow arrives."

* * *

"You cannot be serious..."

Tohsaka stared at Shirou with wide eyes as he milled about the courtyard with a broom, sweeping up the leftover remains of glass that were strewn about. It would have been a comical sight if it wasn't for the situation they were in.

"Do you understand the gravity of what has exactly happened to you?"

"I'm possessed by some long ancient ghost and forced to participate in a bloody battle royale to the death. At least, that's what the spirit told me." Shirou said with a shrug.

"That's horribly simplified!" Tohsaka shook her head in exasperation before continuing on in a tired voice. "Shirou, the act of fusing with a heroic spirit is impossible. Infinitely close to it, in fact. Possession by spirits or ghosts isn't unheard of, but becoming one with a soul as heavy and pure as a heroic spirit is an act that should have incinerated your body and soul! Not even the greatest of mages could do what you just did!"

Shirou paused. "Well, then I'm just unbelievably lucky."

"In a sense, but that also means you'll be the target of all sorts of troublesome schemes. If word got out that a human managed to successfully merge with a heroic spirit, the mages would stop at nothing to hunt you down. Most likely to kill or examine your body for anything valuable." Tohsaka ominously said, earning a sour look.

"Then is that what you're going to do? Toss me to the wolves as they say?"

"Oh please. I'd never do something like that. You're living on my land, thus under my protection and jurisdiction. I just need to keep a close eye on you." She frowned. "Speaking of which, why did you never tell me you were a mage? You do know that you have to check in with the owner of this land first before you set up shop, right?"

Shirou paused. "Well, to be honest, I never actually knew you were a mage."

"You... never actually knew I was a mage? Does the Tohsaka name even mean anything to you?!" She screeched, rubbing her forehead with her hands as she tried to fight off this budding migraine. "You know what? Scratch that. I really shouldn't be surprised. You're an incredibly dense idiot. How did your father neglect to mention any of this?"

"Eh? You knew my dad?" Shirou asked with a questioning look, only receiving a waved hand in response.

"Not important. Really not important right now." She grumbled. "Regardless, you're stuck in this war now. Therefore, we need to do... something with you. You already know the basics of this war from your heroic spirit, right?"

"Yeah. Big battle royale with seven servants. Whoever manages to be the last one standing receives some sort of wish."

It truly was a simple situation on paper. However, he wouldn't condone such a bloody battle for a petty reason like that. Not in such a populated city like Fuyuki. It would only be a matter of time before one of the servants decided to take drastic measures and begin to pull innocent people into this secret war. He wouldn't, in good conscience, allow something like that.

If that meant sending the dead back to their graves, he would do it.

"Well that at least saves some time," Tohsaka muttered. "As it stands now, you're an anomaly. In my father's records, there has never been a fusion between heroic spirit and man in the past Holy Grail Wars. You're an exception among exceptions, and we need to get that sorted out right away. Are you able to view your own stats?"

Stats. The basic parameters of each servant. It was used as a sort of measuring stick to gauge just how powerful a heroic spirit was in certain areas. It ranged from E to EX, with the average at a C.

He closed his eyes and focused on himself, causing words and letters to appear around him in a strangely organized fashion.

**Strength: ?**

**Agility: ?**

**Endurance: ?**

**Mana: ?**

**Luck: ?**

**Class Skills:**

**N/A**

**Personal Skills:**

**N/A**

**Noble Phantasm:**

**N/A**

"What?" Rin muttered as she observed the information. "That's weird... What sort of sheet is this? Archer, do you have any ideas?"

"Only one."

Shirou jumped in surprise as Archer appeared beside him, his still stern look on his face.

"It would be a simple matter to assume that the boy himself has now taken on the mantle of his heroic spirit through the fusion. However, it doesn't appear as if that's the case. Rather, it seems as if his heroic spirit has begun to physically and spiritually change his identity at a level beyond even that."

"At a level beyond that? You mean his origin itself is changing?" Rin whispered, seemingly baffled by such a thing.

The origin of a human was their defining trait. It was the invisible force that made you what you are and what may very well dictate future actions. While most men do not realize the existence of such a concept, the personality and makeup of an individual is decided upon their origin in a manner more defined than genetics. If one was awakened to their origin, it was nearly impossible to break away from what was essentially their internal programming.

To change an origin was considered all but impossible in the modern day. There have been studies done in observing the origins of multiple individuals and attempting to forcefully change their origin, but results have been met with little success.

"Not changing. It's being redefined and reforged into something new. Just like how a master swordsmith uses materials to create a useable sword, the boy's body and origin are being used as materials to create something new. From what I can tell, the change is happening at a gradual pace. Given enough time, however, the results will certainly be otherworldly.

Rin gulped. "H-how astronomical are we talking?"

Archer was silent for a moment before responding with a neutral tone.

"It'll be on par with a divine mystery. A level not seen since the age of the gods, and perhaps, a step beyond them."

Shirou didn't have a defining understanding of what they were talking about, but it appeared to matter to Tohsaka. For a couple of wordless seconds, her mouth opened and closed like a fish as she processed what Archer said. Slowly, she turned towards him with a dead look in her eyes.

"You. Come with me. Now."

* * *

Archer watched silently as Rin led his past self away by his hand, ignoring the stream of protests. Shaking his head, he followed behind them silently in spirit form while continuing to examine himself with a critical eye.

He truly could not believe this. In all his years as a counter guardian, no situation had ever baffled him like this. When he had landed in this era, he had expected some details to be different yet not like this. He had not expected his past self to summon a different saber, much less one that was not _her_.

Or better yet, he had not expected for him to merge with his summoned spirit either.

_Sengo Muramasa._

Immediately, he could tell the identity of the heroic spirit that had attached itself to his host. He had always been a sword ever since avalon had been implanted in his body to save him and he could always tell the history of a sword through a glance. The legendary swordsmith himself had chosen him to become his host, no doubt seeing just how perfect his body would be as materials to make the perfect sword.

The man had been obsessed with such a thing. He had met him once or twice in passing in his countless infinities as a counter guardian, but his brief interactions were all that was needed to know just how single-minded the man was in achieving a goal that was all but impossible in his lifetime.

But that was a different story now.

He wasn't an expert in analyzing spiritual patterns, but even he knew enough to tell that Sengo Muramasa had truly reached the perfect sword he had sought for in life. His past self's body was already at a level beyond a normal human. He was a walking mystery that modern magecraft couldn't ever hope to achieve. A sword that could cut fate and destiny...

He sighed. At this point, the two were far too different to be called the same individual. He was someone who made use of an infinite amount of second-rate equipment, while he was someone who utilized only one sword taken to its illogical extreme.

The plan to annihilate himself and attempt to remove himself via paradox was all but dashed. It had always been flawed from the start, but he would have attempted it on his old self who blindly followed the path of justice to save everyone. This new version of him, however, seemed to be more calm. More mature. And more importantly, carried power. He'd never have the need to make a deal with the counter force.

So there would be nothing for him to gain by killing this version of himself. Beyond the physical nature, they were no longer the same individual.

He let out a mirthless chuckle. How pathetic. On one hand, he should be happy. Happy that a world would not plunge into hell because of a naive idealist who never knew when to quit. On the other, he could only wallow in despair that this hell of self-imprisonment will continue on forever.

* * *

"You're telling me that a priest is supposed to be the mediator of a magic war?"

"Calling him a priest is a bit of a stretch. That man can hardly be called a pious or holy person in any sense. Honestly, how he became a priest is beyond me."

Shirou couldn't help but find the irony in this situation. To think that a priest from the church would be the one to oversee a magical battlefield over a Holy Grail. If anything else, God must have a weird sense of humor for that.

"Anyway, just make sure to be on your guard around him." Tohsaka shivered. "He gives me the creeps sometimes, but he's never tried anything on me. Just be sure to keep an eye out."

"Should I be worried?" Shirou asked, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "He's not into high schoolers, right?"

Rin let out a snort. "I doubt that. The man has an emotional drive comparable to that of a washboard. He's honestly just very creepy in his own little way. The way he talks, the way he speaks, it's like he's just not all there. You'll understand when you talk to him."

Well that didn't really vibe well with him.

The church was situated on the outskirts of the city, slightly secluded and away from the public. Honestly, if one wasn't looking for it you'd be hard pressed to know it even existed. For Tohsaka, however, she knew the way perfectly.

They treaded the single trail towards the Church, the air growing colder as they approached the building. Subconsciously, Shirou gripped his kitana a bit harder. He didn't know why, but this place really freaked him out. Despite being a place of worship, the atmosphere was unusually creepy. It felt as if there was something going on here, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Regardless, Rin seemed to be quite unfazed as she threw the front gate opened and approached the building without a care of respect. Pushing the wooden doors open, she yelled out into the darkness of the church.

"Kirei! I need your help for a second! You're going to want to hear this!"

Shirou fidgeted nervously beside her as silence loomed over them for a few seconds before it was followed by a low creaking noise from the other side of the dark chapel as an old door opened and a man dressed in priestly garments stepped out.

Immediately, he could tell that this man was no ordinary priest as he turned his eyes towards them. For just a brief moment, too fast for a normal person to notice behind the crinkle of amusement that now shone in those orbs, the priest's eyes had most certainly been dead. The smile he now wore felt misplaced and forced, almost as if he was just going through the motions of meeting an old friend.

Yes, this man was certainly hiding something. Whatever the case may be, Shirou found himself immediately on guard.

"Rin... Must you approach the church at this hour? I was just preparing to go to bed." He turned his eyes towards Shirou and raised an eyebrow. "And I assume this must be your servant? The two of you aren't here to cause trouble, I hope."

"No... he's not my servant. Mine is outside." Rin replied quickly. "He's just an innocent bystander who got caught up in this war and ended up with special... circumstances."

At that, the priest's eyebrows rose and he fixated his gaze on Shirou once again. A few seconds passed in uncomfortable silence before the man slowly nodded and an unknown light passed through his eyes.

"Oh? Do tell. I will do everything in my power to help you, young man. You may refer to me as father Kirei, or simply Kirei if you wish." The priest introduced himself politely, though his tone was subtly devoid of actual emotional interest.

"...Thank you."

Shirou tried to force himself not to flinch away from the man. Rin was right about the fact that everything about him felt off in some weird twisted way. It was like he was some gaping hole in reality that just wasn't supposed to exist, though he'd never say it out loud. Perhaps the influence of his heroic spirit was making him more paranoid.

Regardless, the man didn't appear to wish him harm, and besides his weird aura, didn't appear to be a threat at the moment. He could give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

"That's enough chit-chat you two. Focus at the problem at hand." Rin cut in.

Kirei straightened. "Of course. My apologies. What is it that you wished to talk to me about?"

"Put simply, it's his circumstances and his willingness to participate in this war." Rin began with a sigh. "He was an innocent bystander who didn't choose to participate in this ritual willingly. He was only dragged into this war after being attacked by Lancer and accidentally summoning a servant, though... it didn't turn out how it normally should."

"Well, a merging of souls isn't exactly what the original founders were going for." As Rin's eyes widened, he smirked. "Oh don't look so surprised. It is quite obvious what has happened here... even if it's a possibility that shouldn't exist."

"So what should be done about him? Knowing that, how can you expect him to participate in this war? Even if he's wielding the powers of a heroic spirit, it's unfair for you to assume that he is prepared to participate in this bloodbath, especially since he has only barely known about it for an hour!"

"While it certainly is unfortunate, there is nothing I can do about it." Kirei shrugged. "Whether or not it is fair is irrelevant. One of the seven heroic spirits has chosen to inhabit his body, and thus, he will be targeted by the other masters. My position as overseer won't stop the others. I truly am sorry, but there is little to nothing I can do."

Rin bit her lips, obviously displeased. "Kirei, I won't just let an innocent bystander get dragged into this war. Isn't it possible for someone else to summon another servant to let them fight in his place?"

"The grail doesn't have that sort of energy, Rin. You know that as well as I do that seven is the max. Like it or not, your friend will be forced into his own battles from here on out whether he likes it or not." Kirei turned to face Shirou with a melodramatic look of pity. "I recommend you master your heroic spirit as soon as possible if you wish to survive. You won't have the luxury of having someone else fight for you."

"I'll keep that in mind." Shirou replied seriously. He didn't need someone else to spell it out for him. His opponents were people who've had a lifetimes worth of experience under their belts. Compared to them, he was just a young bud. He only managed to hold off Lancer because the servant hadn't been taking him seriously at all until losing an arm.

Rin glanced at him with a worried look and he only continued to give a determined one of his own in response. Even if the odds were stacked heavily against him, he wasn't just going to roll over and die. He had the means to fight in this war and end it to protect the lives of the innocent. As of now, he won't stop at anything until this 'Holy Grail' is dismantled and removed.

"That fire in your eyes is astounding, boy." Kirei chuckled. "It reminds me of someone I once knew. He was quite the determined individual."

"Then he must have also been a bloody fool," Rin muttered before shaking her head. "Come on, Emiya. We've wasted time coming here. There's nothing for us to discuss if he can't guarantee your protection."

Shirou nodded, though he noticed a sudden light appear in the man's eyes. For once, a small amount of actual emotion wormed its way onto the priest's face.

"Emiya... Emiya... Your name is Emiya?"

The priest stared at him with a mixture of wonder and... nostalgia? Regardless, it was sort of creepy in some kind of twisted way.

"My name is Shirou Emiya, yes."

As soon as he confirmed that piece of information, a smile broke over the man's face that made his blood run cold. It wasn't predatory, but it carried a sense of foreboding that warned him that the two would be seeing more of each other in the future.

"How utterly amusing. To think that you'd follow in the footsteps of your father and tread the cursed path he walked on..."

"What?"

Shirou perked up at the utter familiarity the man spoke with as he brought up his father. Could this man possibly have known about his dad before?

He opened his mouth to ask how he could have known his dad, but Rin quickly grabbed his arm and started heading for the exit.

"Come on, Shirou. Let's go. This priest is useless for both of us."

Kirei chuckled at that as he watched them go, seemingly finding some sort of joy in how uncomfortable the two obviously were before him. Spreading his arms in a grand gesture, he addressed Shirou with a smile.

"Rejoice, young man. If you are anything like your father, I know what your wish will be, and I know that you'll be the one to survive up until the end."

There it was... that familiarity.

"How do you know my father?" He called out as Rin swung the doors open and began to drag him outside, only giving him time to see the smile on the priest's face turn demented.

"We will be seeing each other very soon, Emiya. You can count on it."

And as the doors swung shut behind them, Shirou couldn't help but feel a chill rush up his spine as the outside world brought him back to its cold embrace. However, he'd rather have been out here than in there.

Because that Kotomine Kirei wasn't a priest... but an actual monster. A wolf in sheep's clothing that'd eat him up if given the chance.

Just what the hell did he get himself into?


	3. Chapter 3

"That damn priest really was useless..."

Shirou followed the girl silently as she continued to sulk, muttering curses under her breath that honestly surprised him. The mere fact that such unruly words would come out of the paragon of perfection that was Tohsaka was very unlike her. In all his years of knowing her, she always kept up the appearance of a perfect student.

But then again, that was Tohsaka as a student. Now, she was Tohsaka the mage.

"It really is no big deal, Tohsaka. Whether or not he could help me wouldn't change the fact that I'd end up encountering another servant."

Rin bristled at that, turning towards him with a look of anger. "That's the problem! You shouldn't have to fight another servant! Even with your new powers, it's just completely unreasonable for you to fight against super powered beings!"

"Whether it's unreasonable or not is irrelevant to me. I'll find a way to survive, trust me."

"Argh! That's it! It just infuriates me how you can be so calm about all of this!" Rin threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Honestly, no normal human being would act like you! They'd either be crapping their pants or be trying to find some solution to get themselves out of this mess, but you- you-"

She trailed off as a look of defeat crossed her eyes. "You're so willing to get involved in all of this... Honestly, do you have a death wish or something?"

Shirou frowned at that. He honestly didn't have a death wish and he understood the gravity of the situation perfectly. What Rin was berating him for was already common knowledge to him. Just because he didn't react with shaky hands or erratic behavior doesn't mean that he wasn't in fear for his life. He had already died once and he was in no rush to experience it again.

But he could see where she was coming from. No normal human would walk into this tournament willingly, much less stay if it were to be thrust upon them. If he chose to continue down this path, they'd inevitably end up as enemies who'd have to kill each other.

Neither of them had a significant relationship in school, but he guessed that it wouldn't be such a pleasant experience to essentially be involved in a classmates death. Even he wasn't sure he could tolerate having to point a sword at her.

Still, he felt as if he had a duty to participate. This war would only bring destruction and death for all those involved, participant or not. He knew in his heart that he had to stop it before it was too late.

And deep within his gut... he felt as if there was something crucial was going to happen during this war. Something that was going to become very important in the long run.

He'd have to kill these servants and claim the grail for his own. He'd make enemies of monsters, but until then...

"...You really are a nice person, Tohsaka."

Rin stared at him, a bewildered look passing over her features as she took a step back.

"W-what are you talking about?! That's hardly an answer to my question!"

Shirou shook his head with a smile. "Sorry, I'm just thinking out loud. You've done your best to help me out, but I've already made up my mind. I have to fight in this war no matter what. Even if you become my enemy, I won't back down from what needs to be done."

He turned and stared off into the space next to her, a serious look on his face.

"I trust you don't have any problems with this... Archer?"

The red garbed servant materialized out of the air, his stoic look ever present. He hadn't materialized his weapons, but his posture made it clear that he was ready to react at a moments notice.

"Your face makes it clear of your intentions, boy. That resolve in your eyes doesn't lie. However, do you intend to declare war on my master now? Do you intend to raise that blade at her at this moment?"

Shirou shook his head. "No. Never. I would never do that to her. Only six servants must die to fill the Holy Grail. I would never sacrifice Tohsaka's life just for the chance of obtaining a wish."

Archer was silent for a moment before he turned to Rin. He barely remembered this moment from so very long ago... but he knew for a fact that his answer had been different. If push came to shove, he would have killed her without a second thought in the name of 'justice'.

Now, even if his life were to come to an end, he could at least be confident that this version of himself would never harm his master. She'd be safe from all the evils in this world.

"Then what are your orders, Master? Do you wish for me to fight? The boy has made up his mind. Half-hearted measures by us won't force him to back down."

Rin pursed her lips as she stared at Shirou. This was the one possibility she had wanted to avoid. She never wanted to cross paths with him like this. Not as a magus, nor as an enemy. It would have been simpler to just keep him out of this whole bloodbath all together.

But Kirei was sadly right in his assessment. Shirou was now part of this war no matter what and he seemed to have embraced it fully. She couldn't protect him from it, nor does he wish her to.

So one way or the other, they'd end up coming to blows at some point.

The magus side of her wanted to sic Archer on him here and now. Better to get rid of what could potentially be the biggest threat in this war before he grew too powerful. On the other hand, her humanity wanted to just leave him be for now. They weren't friends, but the thought of fighting him so soon didn't sit well with her.

Her father would have chastised her for allowing such feelings to control her actions. She was a magus first and foremost. Everything she did should work towards the single ultimate goal of reaching the Root. Everything else came second, even emotional attachments. Hell, her father only got married to her mother because of the potential an offspring of theirs would create.

But she wasn't her father. She did things her own way.

"We'll stand down for now. Tonight has been a busy night for all of us and I, for one, want to get some sleep."

She gave Shirou a serious look.

"That said, do not think this makes us allies. When the time comes, we'll both face each other. That is... if you survive that long."

"I'm confident I will. You won't have to worry about that."

"Don't get cocky just because of your status now. Even if you have the power, you still don't have your heroic spirit's exper-"

Rin halted mid-speech as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up in response to a sudden chill. At the same time, Shirou's hand immediately went to his katana as he drew it from its sheath. A monstrous presence had just appeared nearby and that could only mean the presence of-

"Ah, it took you two long enough to notice me."

The two turned as a young, but playful, voice cut through the air. At the far end of the road was a girl who looked to be no older than twelve or thirteen. She wore a purple coat alongside a matching purple hat that covered snow white hair. Her red eyes stared at them with a glint of glee, but the smile on her face was anything but warm. It was cold and predatory... not something found in the eyes of a child.

But the true threat that nearly made their heart stop was the monstrous giant behind her.

It was clearly male, but there was no imaginable way such a man could feasibly exist. Its skin and muscles looked more like bronze armor than human flesh and its arms were bigger than a normal human. In its right hand was what appeared to be a stone sword, but it was so thick and huge that it would be more appropriate to call it a stone slab.

That thing was most definitely a servant, but Shirou could see that it was a monster amongst monsters. The thing radiated raw power like he couldn't believe. Not even Lancer nor Archer held the same dominance this servant displayed.

The young girl curtseyed, her demeanor carrying nothing but royal elegance.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Illyasviel Von Einzbern, a fellow master and participant in this Holy Grail War."

Rin's eyes widened in recognition. "Einzbern... One of the three founding families of the War alongside the Makiri and Tohsakas... to think we'd see each other so soon."

The houses of Makiri, Tohsaka, and Einzbern were three of the most well known and prestigious houses of all time due to their involvement in the creation of the Holy Grail. As the years passed, however, they've become shadows of their former selves. The Makiri were all but extinct as well as the Tohsakas. The Einzbern, however, still retained a small portion of their former glory due to the fact that their entire household was now nearly 100% made up of manufactured homunculi rather than human mages. They were still a far cry from what they once were, though.

The Einzberns had a history of being one of the most competitive and successful participants in the war. They've consistently had their servants and masters triumph in the war, but couldn't quite obtain the grail for reasons unknown. This master, no matter how young she looked, was no doubt a formidable magus created with the sole intent to win this war through any means.

"Yes, it is quite an experience, isn't it? Like one big happy family reunion."

For a moment, Illya turned her head towards Shirou, making him tense up. For some reason, those words felt as if they were aimed at him rather than Rin, oddly enough.

"But this is a war after all, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut the pleasantries. I recommend you two summon your servants, though I doubt they'll be of much use when compared to my own."

"Oh yeah? Are you so confident in your own servant's strength? You know it would be foolish to take on two servants at once, y'know?" Rin taunted, though she was beginning to feel a sense of unease. This girl just had way too much confidence n her own servant. She definitely could see why, though. That thing looked like it could rip a building in two.

"The number of servants won't matter. My servant will crush them all because he's the strongest in the world!" Illya exclaimed with child-like glee. "Aside from the Saber servant, I doubt he has to struggle much. It is inevitable that I will stand victorious in the end."

"Inevitable is a strong word. Nothing is ever for certain." Shirou spoke up, earning a frown in response as the girl's expression soured.

"Hmph. Then I suppose I'll have to change your view on that."

Illya raised her hand and pointed at them. On cue, the monster behind her came to life with a snarl and a growl, nostrils flaring like a volcano as the servant tightened its grip on the stone blade.

"Get them, Berserker."

**"RAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!"**

With a mighty roar, the creature exploded forward with speed no living thing should be able to produce. It raised its stone sword above its head and swung downwards, intent on crushing the two of them into red paste.

Shirou unsheathed his katana and attempted to block the strike, but even with his own enhanced reflexes he could only manage to hastily deflect the blow to the side and into the ground next to him.

***BOOM***

The resulting shockwave blew him away like a bug in the wind. Rolling to his feet, he tried to find Tohsaka amongst the cloud of dust and smoke. The servant was keen on fighting the two of them at once so Rin was going to be in danger if he couldn't protect her as wel-

"Ah! Put me down, Archer!"

He turned his head towards the sound of Rin's voice, seeing her unharmed in the hands of her servant. He didn't appear too keen on staying, seeing as he was already retreating from the hulking monster at full speed.

It seems even if Rin wasn't keen on fighting him right now, Archer had no obligation to save him nor assist. Then again, he couldn't really blame him as the Berserker's red eyes turned towards him with feral anger that promised a painful death.

Well, at least its attention was on him and not Tohsaka.

"It looks as if your friend has decided to leave you to your fate. As expected of a failing lineage." Illya smiled with a condescending smile before she frowned. "Though this is certainly odd... how is it that you managed to deflect Berserker's sword?"

"Through the power of the heroic spirit infused in me." Shrou answered as he pushed himself to his feet, wincing at the soreness in his arms.

Illya stared at him. By the power of the heroic spirit infused within him? Does that mean...

"My, you certainly are impressive. In any other circumstances, I would have thought you were like me. It takes some special circumstances for one to house a heroic spirit." She shook her head. "But I suppose you could say that this would be more of a detriment rather than a blessing."

Shirou raised an eyebrow. "A detriment?"

She nodded. "Yep! Your life would have been a whole lot easier if you decided to reject taking on the burden of a heroic spirit. I could have my way with you with minimal effort. Now, you'll only suffer more by the hands of my Berserker."

"I see... So you never had the intention of killing me." Shirou frowned at that realization. "Is there any particular reason as to why you wish to bring me back with you rather than kill me? We don't share a connection... do we?"

Illya's smile left her face, replaced only with a blank look. "So... father never told you about me? Even after he left me for you, he never bothered to mention my name?"

"Father?" Shirou echoed, narrowing his eyes. "I don't know who you could be talking-"

Wait.

He found himself gaping. Hold up. Hit the brakes. Just what in the world was this girl saying? Her father left her for him? Then that meant-

No.

Kiritsugu wouldn't...

"Are you-"

"That's enough! Get him, Berserker!"

With another roar, Berserker once again sprung into action and Shirou found himself raising his sword once again. He gritted his teeth as he dodged to the side of Berserker's slash, feeling the wind stir up around him like a miniature gale.

Focus. Worry about his father's relationship with that girl later. He had to focus on the threat in front of him.

He could already tell that he was at a massive disadvantage. For starters, this thing was just way too strong, fast, and determined. Its strikes came like lightning and hit with the force of a guided missile. No amount of technique with a blade would be able to win in a direct contest of strength against its stone sword.

The only thing he could do right now was move around and use his small size to his advantage. He had to be like a gnat and make himself as small as possible. So long as he was able to predict the path of the strikes, he would be able to dodge and counter.

Ducking under another strike, he aimed to cut at the monster's right thigh. His sword flew through the air perfectly, biting into the monster's flesh and making it howl with pain. However, the cut was shallower than it should have been. It was almost as if something was rejecting his attempt to inflict damage, stopping the blade at a certain level.

Shirou leaped back as Berserker spun around and attempted to grab him. Blood spilled out of its right leg in a thin stream, but it hardly noticed as it continued to lumber towards him.

It raised its sword and slammed it onto the ground, kicking earth into the air as the shockwave traveled towards him. He jumped into the air, avoiding the strike but soon realized he had made a slight error as Berserker appeared directly in front of him.

Oh crap.

Shirou hastily put his guard up as Berserker's sword slammed into him, sending him flying into the nearby forest with a panicked yell. Not done with its assault, Berserker charged into the forest after him, pushing trees out of the way like dominoes.

This man was nearly invincible.

Nay, to calls this a man would be inaccurate. This thing was more of a force of nature rather than a man. It goes where it wants without question and leaves nothing but destruction in its wake.

Shirou propped himself up with his sword and grimaced in pain. Damn, he must have broken a couple of ribs in that fall. This thing was absolutely relentless in battle.

But there was still hope. He was capable of harming this thing with his sword. If he could just go for the head with enough force to cut into its spiritual core, he stood a chance at defeating him.

He looked around at his surroundings and took note of all the graves that littered the area. There was some large ones and some small ones, but they all looked to be able to serve as adequate cover. If he waited patiently, the opportunity to strike will most certainly arrive. Until then... he just had to roll with the punches.

**"GRAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"**

He winced as Berserker crashed through the woods, hot on his heels.

"Damn... This isn't going to be easy."

* * *

Illasviel von Einzbern wasn't foolish despite her looks.

She was designed to be a perfect homunculus. Out of nearly a thousand different products, she was the greatest and most similar to that of the original homunculus: Justeaze von Einzbern. She had been created to host the seven heroic spirits after death, acting as the lesser grail that was used to summon the greater grail into their possession.

The greatest feats of alchemy and the accumulation of several centuries worth of techniques and inventions had led to her birth. No mage in the modern world could ever hope to create anything on the level of her.

It was safe to say she was prideful, but never was she foolish. She knew something was wrong the second her broth-

She shook her head. No. That was wrong. She didn't have a brother. Only a stupid boy who had replaced her in the heart of the father who abandoned her.

And yet, that stupid boy was now starting to really draw her attention. That sword of his should have been nothing but a toothpick to her Berserker, but it had miraculously managed to draw a small amount of blood. It was no more than a simple nick, but the nature of Berserker's noble phantasm made wounding him a monumental task.

The power of the heroic infused in him must have certainly been special. However, it still meant nothing against the overwhelming power of her Berserker. One good hit would shatter this boy without much effort. The only reason he was able to survive this long was because she didn't wish for him to die so easily. He needed to pay for taking her father away from her.

As the skirmish began to move towards the forest, she followed after them in a relaxed manner as if she didn't have a care in the world. She then stopped as she felt the presence of someone staring at her from a distance. Turning around slowly, she stared off at a skyscraper in the distance where a certain red archer and his partner stood watching.

She smiled and waved childishly. She didn't fear them. Archer and his master could do as they pleased. Berserker would always protect her no matter what, even against the might of two servants.

* * *

_"Tch... I just can't bring myself to shoot her."_

Archer put down his bow as the white-haired girl vanished into the woods alongside her servant. In truth, he didn't really believe that any of his shots would reach her. Her servant was very protective of her and would have broke off from fighting his younger self to protect her. So in the end, he just decided to save the energy.

Plus, he really didn't want to go out of his way to kill her. She was his sister in another life, after all.

He glanced back at Rin who was tapping her foot as she watched the fight with a frown on her face. She didn't appear to be angry with him for leaving his younger self behind, but she was definitely worried.

"That girl has way too much mana in her. How can she keep that servant materialized for more than a few seconds? The upkeep must be enormous, but she doesn't look like she's breaking a sweat!"

"It appears that she is a homunculus, Master. My guess is that her family must have tailored her specifically for fighting in this Holy Grail War. I wouldn't doubt her being possibly the strongest master in this war."

Rin bit her lip. "The Einzberns are really going all out for this one, huh? Just great. Those two will be the greatest threat in this war."

Archer nodded. "Indeed, which is why it's better for us to run and live to fight another day."

Others may have considered it a cowardly act, but he had no qualms with avoiding a fight he knew he could not win. He also knew that his master, while prideful, wasn't stupid either. Berserker was a force of nature that required more than a single servant to take down. Their only hope was for the other servants and masters to recognize that fact and to coordinate their efforts accordingly no matter how unwilling they may be.

"But even so... did you really have to leave Shirou behind?"

"The boy looks to be doing just fine from what I can see."

"Not funny, Archer." She said with a glare.

He shrugged. "It doesn't particularly matter now, does it? Besides, the boy is a slippery one. If he could escape Lancer's spear twice in a row, he can worm his way out of Berserker's grasp."

Rin frowned at that but just shook her head. It was pointless to argue at this point as it would be suicide to go back and get Shirou anyway. She could only hope that he would be able to survive until daybreak.

And if he didn't... well it was just bad luck he got drafted into this war.

She sighed and turned around. "It's getting late. Archer, get us back to my manor."

He nodded and went forward to pick her up. Before he could though, he stopped as his mind's eye activated in response to an unknown threat.

"!"

He quickly spun around and summoned Kanshou and Bakuya to his hands. Standing before him was a middle-aged man wearing black vestments with dark orange highlights. His posture carried class with him, but those eyes held a sense of duty not found in a noble. Rather, they belonged to someone who has seen many things throughout their life. Yet despite that, the man just felt... ordinary.

But that wasn't what truly concerned him, however. It was the being that floated beside him. The one who made the hair on the back of his neck stand up in anticipation.

It was no doubt a servant. A servant of unbelievable might and power. He was dressed in black and white garb with a touch of red that indicated royalty of some kind, yet it didn't look to be far eastern or European in nature. The only form of armor he wore was the metal shoulder guards, though he doubted they truly served a purpose other than for visual appeal.

On each of his fingers was a golden ring which leaked magical energy like a river. The amount was intoxicating and abnormal even by servant standards. If Berserker's presence was akin to a raging volcano, this man's presence would be more like a heavy gravitational pull. It was hard to remain standing in his presence.

And Rin didn't appear to be faring well if the gaping of her mouth was any indication. Really, she was like a koi fish.

"Rin Tohsaka... A pleasure to meet you," The man who was presumably the master spoke with a calm tone, unaffected by his servant's overwhelming power. "It is an honor to meet a member of one of the three founding families of this war."

When she continued to gape silently at him, he raised an eyebrow before understanding dawned in his eyes.

"Ah, my apologies. I know my servant can be a little bit... much," He turned towards his servant. "Caster, please be mindful of your presence."

The servant's expression didn't change and only a nod was any indication that he would comply with the order. Soon, the pressure around the building subsided and Archer found his legs regaining some semblance of strength.

Which was good, because any second later and he might have keeled over in a manner that was unbefitting of any legendary hero.

"Is that better?" The man asked, turning back to Rin who looked to be getting her emotions back under control.

"...Yes, it is. Thank you," She righted her posture to match her fellow magus. "If you would be so kind... to whom do I owe this honor to?"

The master bowed formally, his head dipping low with elegance and grace. "I am Marisbury Animusphere... The head of the Animusphere family and the master of Caster in this Holy Grail War."

At the mention of Animusphere, Tohsaka's eyes widened. Animusphere... That was a name she hadn't heard in a very long time. In face, she could only ever recall it being mentioned in passing by her father whenever he came back from trips overseas.

_"The Animuspheres... They've once again thrown in a new pitch and once again have been turned down."_

_"Their station is slowly losing power. If they're not careful, perhaps someone else may soon be leading their department."_

_"Are they really at it again? The idea of observing the past through spiritron particles... preposterous! Observing the past does not allow one to reach the realm of the almighty."_

Okay, perhaps they weren't always spoken with praise, but she knew just who exactly the Animuspheres were... and what their name entailed.

"The head of the Astronomy Faculty at the Clock Tower..."

"Indeed. That is exactly who I am. Though I must admit, I do not care so much for such titles. Please, just call me Marisbury."

Rin blinked. Such casualness was unheard of for most lords so his tone may as well have been another language compared to the strict and formal tone of others of similar position.

And to even reveal the class of his servant...

"On to business then, you must be wondering as to why I am here, yes? You wish to understand the reason why I stand here before you instead of behind the safety of my servant, correct? I can see it in your eyes... you cannot fathom my reasoning for such a suicidal action."

"It has crossed my mind," She admitted. It wouldn't do for her to lie right now. "I can tell your servant is strong, but you being so close is a detriment to your own safety despite that. Even if we may die in the process, my servant could still kill you before then."

"That may be quite so, but I believe you, a member of such a prestigious bloodline, would never stoop to such maneuvers unless I were to actually attack."

The old man smiled at her confused expression. Yes. He expected such a reaction from her. Everyone who had met him would always say that he was unorthodox for a mage, especially for one so old.

"So take this as action as a gesture of trust, for I simply have an offer for you. An offer in which I will also extend to the other masters as well."

"An offer? To the other masters?"

Skepticism dripped from her words, but it didn't bother the prestigious magus. It was natural for her to be suspicious. Mages never made deals with others, and if they did, it was mainly with their own best interests in mind at the expense of the offeree. Even with a geas scroll, which was created with the intent to make sure that agreements were honored, there were still risks to accepting a deal with another magus.

"Indeed. It is all but certain that I shall win this grail war, make no mistake about it. However, I will not use it to reach the almighty throne. My end goal is something that doesn't require me to exceed the limits of the material world, after all."

Rin frowned. "You mean... you don't wish to reach the root?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Like I said, I have no interest in such a thing. Even if I did, I would never stoop so low as to piggyback directly to the solution with such a device. I will reach the ultimate goal I have set for myself with my own two hands using this grail as a mere stepping stone."

The hardened determination in his eyes was unnerving as he stared at her. She was familiar with that look. Her father and his associates all had the same look when they were knee-deep in research and certain projects. To chase after a goal was the life of any human being, but a magus would take things to the extreme. Rather than determination, their goals were more of an obsession.

She swallowed her nerves and steeled herself. "So where does that leave me?"

Marisbury's smile unnerved her, casual as it may have been. There was just something off about it. Something that she couldn't quite explain even drawing upon her experiences with other magi.

"When all is said and done with this war... I want you to come and work for me."

Silence reigned over the building for a second as Rin processed what he had just said. Work for him? As in, like an actual job? He was giving her a job offer of all things? She was Rin Tohsaka, the last of the Tohsaka legacy! It would be insulting of her to work directly under someone, even if that someone potentially had more prestige than her!

...But she would be lying if she said she wasn't curious about the offer.

"Just why in the world would you ask that of me?" She questioned, interested in the answer.

The answer she received wasn't anything like she expected.

"Because I am looking to gather some very special people. People very similar to yourself from all around the world. Once I have done so, I will form an organization entirely built upon your talents and expertise with the funding I have amassed... and the miracle of the Holy Grail. Together, we shall seek out the truths of this world and find the lost mysteries we have forgotten so long ago."

The creation of a secret organization? Such a thing wasn't unusual, but pooling together different magi from different families and backgrounds was almost unheard of. Mages often kept to their own families and limited working with outsiders as much as possible. If what the man was saying was true... then he must be attempting to-

Rin's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to build your own faction separate from the clock tower?" She couldn't see the logic in that. The clock tower would never accept the creation of an organization like this. It would be considered an infringement on their power and a threat to their position in the world of magecraft. Plus, if all he wanted to do was gather some mages for research, he could certainly just use his connections at the clock tower as a high-ranking lord.

"A faction with more freedom and movement is what is needed now. Even with my position as a lord, my authority is nearly non-existent. My theories have been shelved and frowned upon as mere ramblings. The house of Animusphere is at an all-time low and it would be difficult for me to amass power within the structure of the clock tower again. I simply cannot rely on them any longer."

A small glint appeared in his eyes. "That is why I must start gathering people now. Once I win this Holy Grail War, everything will begin to turn around for me quickly. When that time comes, I must have exceptional people like yourself by my side."

He extended his hand to her. "So will you join me? I seek only the best and brightest to join my cause. Under my tutelage, you could unlock your full potential without having to be hounded by the Mages Association. When this war is over, they will not be able to stop what I am going to establish."

She glanced at his hand. A tempting offer, but it sounded too grand. Protection from the mage's association? There was a fine line between reasonable promises and delusions of grandeur. Even with the Holy Grail, could he undermine an organization hundreds of years old? Would she even want to risk seceding? Her family always had a good connection with them, but she was starting to feel a strain ever since her father died. There was no telling what they'd do now that the house of Tohsaka has dwindled so much. They may just come to try and retrieve any research material her father left behind.

Still... the way he sounded so sure of himself... he must have a plan. If she were to accept, she could perhaps be a part of something greater. Something more interesting. However, doing so would ultimately forfeit her chance at achieving her father's dream of reaching the grail alongside her servant. Could she really just dismiss Archer so casually like that?

_"Ask him what he plans to do with this new faction of his."_

Her servant's voice echoed through her head, strangely calm. Almost as if the thought of her giving up on the war and throwing his wish away wasn't a concern to him.

"Tell me, Marisbury Animusphere, tell me why you plan to create this new faction," Rin demanded, her face cool and stoic. "Depending on your answer, I may or may not accept."

His hand lowered and he frowned for a second before shrugging. "It's simple, really. I seek an organization that will utilize all of mankind's collective wisdom and put it to use for the benefit of mankind alone. More specifically..."

"...I wish to protect the human order."

* * *

"It seems that the war has just begun... and earlier than expected."

Zouken Makiri muttered quietly to himself as he stared up at the damp ceiling of his basement, lost in thought. The sound of small critters scurrying around reached his ears in an almost deafening symphony, but he reacted as if there was nothing but silence.

Indeed, this was practically a normal occurrence in his household. Nothing was new to him. He had been repeating this process for the past 10 years or so... and it was all simply for the sake of achieving what was rightfully his.

He stared down at his adoptive daughter, silent in a pit of squirming crest worms which swarmed over her in droves. Her eyes were cold and lifeless, but she was certainly not dead. He had simply broken her and reforged her into a tool for his own personal use.

"I suppose this concludes this session for today."

Snapping his fingers, the worms retreated away from the girl and vanished back into the crevices. Without even seeing to her wellbeing, he turned around and slowly made his way back upstairs.

"Make sure you're ready for the days to come, girl. Your foolish brother won't be able to act so it'll be up to you to win this war in my stead."

Sakura said nothing as her grandfather vanished from sight, his cane beating rhythmically against the cold stone. Slowly, she rolled to her side and sighed as she found herself alone once more after another horrifying 'training' session.

She hated this. Her life consisted of nothing but violation as her grandfather subjected her to his cruel whims. Her brother Shinji wasn't much better as he constantly abused her any chance he had.

Her father had abandoned her...

Her sister had abandoned her...

Her uncle had abandoned her...

The only small light in her universe was a single boy. A boy who always smiled at her and made her smile in turn. The hole in her heart that had been inflicted by her grandfather almost felt complete whenever he was around.

Shirou Emiya... Just what would he do if he saw her like this, she wondered.

And that thought was enough for her to fall back into depression once again. Surely he'd abandon her. After all, who would want a filthy woman like herself?

**"Oh sweet child, your heart beats with the flames of love."**

Her eye's snapped open as a sweet melody rang through her ears. Looking around, she saw that she was still alone. Was she finally starting to go mad?

**"I assure you girl, you're not going mad. I am not a being you can see with your own eyes."**

Oh. Like a voice in someone's head.

**"Not exactly. I am nowhere and everywhere. I exist in the stars in the sky and the blades of grass at your feet. I am a force that you simply just cannot see."**

So a spirit then?

She could feel it. Some sort of amusement was felt in the air.

**"I am ananga. The boundless force of the universe is me. I have always existed beside you, but it is only now in the depths of your despair that I am able to reach out to you."**

In the depths of despair? How low she must have fallen. She should have felt angry, but instead... she felt hot.

**"You experience anger and hatred towards everything even if you try to suppress it. It may not manifest as an exploding volcano, but instead as a passionate flame that burns hotter than anything else. It is that very flame that draws me to you."**

So that is the feeling... this hot sensation.

**"What a lovely flame... this flame of love you possess was started by that boy you met. It was he that taught you the meaning of love, correct? Then let it grow beyond you. That pure happiness you feel should be felt by everyone. If everyone felt it, all will know happiness. Only love will exist in this world."**

A world of love... sounded nice.

**"Then let me help you."**

She felt something enter her. Something formless. _Powerful_. A surge of power and strength the likes of which she had never known nor could comprehend was slowly encroaching into her soul.

Knowledge entered her mind.

Power entered her mind.

And most importantly... she felt a desire to give love to others. To make others experience even a small semblance of love that she had.

The identity of this being was-

**"I am K-m-****, the boundless love which exists in this universe. Together, let us dye this world with the essence of a truly beautiful love. The birth of a universe of love begins... now."**


	4. Chapter 4

Shirou panted as he leaned against his sword, sweat dripping down his face. His breath was labored and he could feel his strength beginning to wane as he forced himself to remain standing.

Besides numerous small scratches, he was mostly unharmed. A few close calls had been in order, but his small frame and swift footwork kept him alive far longer than he should have.

On the other hand, Berserker was covered head to toe in his own blood. Numerous cuts and lacerations had formed all up his arms and legs, letting blood flow outward like a red waterfall and turning the surrounding grass red and sticky. Despite this, the giant seemed unbothered as he continued to stare with eyes filled with fury.

For a monster that was supposed to be unthinking and dumb, Berserker had demonstrated a surprising amount of martial prowess. All strikes that would have connected with the head or pierced through the heart had been deflected mere inches from contact. Really, it was as if he had not lost his mind after all.

"You're slowing down, brother."

Illya stared down at him from a safe distance away, her eyes cold with a hint of sadistic glee. "I must admit, you certainly must be commended for living this long... and for being able to penetrate the divine protection that has been bestowed upon Berserker."

Shirou raised an eyebrow. "So that's what I've been feeling whenever I hit him? Some sort of divine protection?"

"Mhm. It's a special blessing that represents a form of immortality by giving him a surplus of eleven lives. To be able to mitigate something like that must mean that your sword is capable of cutting through nearly anything... a true peculiarity in this day and age."

What she said was true, it was a true peculiarity. For a sword to breach a powerful divine mystery meant that it must have been an extremely exceptional noble phantasm or it must have exceeded the limits of a noble phantasm altogether

She shook her head. "Still, the existence of such a sword is of no concern for Berserker. You may have a weapon that can harm him, but the difference in power and speed is as clear as night and day. Your eastern sword techniques won't be able to hold out for much longer!"

Shirou winced at that. Yeah. She did have a point. He didn't have the limitless stamina that Berserker had. Sooner or later he was going to inevitably fall.

"We don't have to do this, Illya," He began, hoping to placate the girl. "If Kiritsugu is your father then I'm your brother. Siblings shouldn't fight like this-"

"You have some nerve proclaiming we're siblings," Illya's eyes narrowed with a hint of anger. "Kiritsugu should have stayed with me, his own flesh and blood, but he abandoned me to raise someone like you. I'll never accept you as a sibling of mine, nor Kiritsugu as a father."

It really hurt to hear her say that. Just what exactly had Kiritsugu done? He never had explained much about his past, but it was hard to wrap his mind around his father leaving this young girl for someone like him. He must have had a reason... even if he never bothered to explain it.

But that stuff could be solved later. Now, he had a much more important job to do.

"Then if you won't give up on trying to kill me, then I simply will fight with all I have. I cannot allow myself to roll over dead even if you may wish it."

He forced himself to his feet, all the while maintaining eye contact with his sister.

"But I will not kill you. I wouldn't be able to look Kiritsugu in the eye in the next life if I do so."

Illya's eyes widened and she momentarily found herself at a lost for words. Shirou just smiled and readied his sword as he turned his attention towards Berserker, who had been oddly silent this whole time.

With a snort, the beast picked up its weapon and readied itself for another offensive. Neither side was giving an inch, but it was clear that Shirou was beginning to tire at a much faster rate. Sooner or later, he'd start to make mistakes, and when that happens he'll be at Berserker's mercy.

"Well spoken, Shirou Emiya. Just as what I'd expect from one who has been made a host of a hero."

"!"

Berserker leaped to Illya's side as a beam of light incinerated the patch of ground he had just been on a mere second before. Glancing upwards, a lithe man with white hair floated next to another white haired man garbed in black and red as they looked down on the battlefield from above.

Illya's eyes widened in surprise as she laid eyes upon the two. The lithe man was of no importance to her, but the other was-

"Caster, please assist mister Emiya and lift the burden from his shoulders. Eliminate the pair."

Without a sound, the servant flicked his hand and the surrounding area became heavy with magical power, making the hairs on everyone's necks stand on end. Multiple glyphs and sigils manifested, charging with energy powerful enough to casually torch an entire forest in seconds.

"Berserker!"

With a roar, Berserker swept Illya into his arms and leaped backward with all his might as several beams of light fired upon his position. As they made contact with the ground, an explosion equal to that of an artillery strike rocked the forest and sent shockwaves cruising through the area. Despite his efforts, Shirou found himself flying through the air, though he was thankfully out of the epicenter of the blast zone.

"What an impressive servant... I would have expected you two to be incinerated instantly."

Illya glared at the magus as Berserker landed safely away from them. "How dare you interrupt our battle... Are you some friend of Shirou?"

"I am not a friend, simply a man interested in his talent. After all, the fusion of a servant with a master is something that I've always been particularly curious of," The man replied smoothly, not losing the serene smile on his face. "So I'm afraid you must consider Shirou Emiya under my protection for the duration of this war."

"For the duration of this war? You do realize that his soul must be sacrificed in order for this war to end, right? As the substitute of the Saber class, it is his fate for the both of you be at each other's throats in the end."

It was a simple truth. Allies were never comrades in this war, merely a means to an end. A naive master would only find himself stabbed in the back if he wholeheartedly trusted his life to another master, yet this man spoke of keeping Shirou alive for the long run out of curiosity for his constitution. He still seemed to have a wish for the grail, that much was for certain, but protecting Shirou meant giving up on that wish. So why would he-

A realization dawned on her as she glanced at his servant. He was no doubt a Caster, a master of the ancient arts that modern magi could only dream of possessing. Could it be that he was attempting to find another solution to activate the grail through the use of his caster servant? If there were any being capable of surpassing the genius of the three great families, it'd be a Caster servant of the highest order from the age of the gods.

"I see you've realized. Yes, this war is ultimately an end goal for me to fulfill my personal wish. However, I cannot deny the existence of the extraordinary people this war brings together," The man shook his head sadly. "Honestly, killing each other with talent instead of using it for a more productive goal... It pains my heart so. That is why I seek to take such talent and put it to better use."

Caster raised his hand once more, illuminating the air with several more glyphs of light.

"But if you were to get in the way of my dream, I shall not offer a hand of partnership. All those who would dare to become obstacles on the road to my dream... will be overturned."

Illya felt herself growing annoyed with each passing second. First this man dared to get in the way of her vengeance, now he wished to exterminate her here and now? The absolute gall. Did he have not a single shred of honor in him?

But she could see it in his eyes. This man may smile pretty, but it was reminiscent of a cold viper. His servant wouldn't just target Berserker, but her as well. Most masters would have rather settled on an honorable duel where both parties could utilize their powers to the fullest, but this man looked to be fixated on eliminating a potential threat as fast as possible.

A troublesome foe. He didn't carry traditional magi values at all. If Berserker were to fight now he would have to focus not just on defense, but offense as well. Even as powerful as he was, she was not foolish enough to believe that he could do both. Especially against such a powerful Caster servant.

"Get us out of here, Berserker!"

So she would cut her losses early. This was only the first day of the war, after all. She could always exact her vengeance on a later date.

Marisbury narrowed his eyes as he watched the pair leave, leaping through the air towards the woods on the outskirts of the town. He turned to Caster with the orders to begin pursuing the pair and eliminate them.

"Wait."

Shirou quickly stopped them as he hobbled over, wincing from his injuries. None were life threatening, but most would be hinder his performance for the next couple days.

"I thank you for saving me, but this quarrel is personal. I would appreciate it if you let me deal with this on my own."

Marisbury frowned. "To let them live now will only result in problems later."

"Perhaps. Like I said though, it's personal. I'll settle it on my own."

Marisbury looked like he wanted to argue against such a point, but Shirou shut him down with a look. He wasn't going to budge on this issue. The realization that she was his sister meant that it was his responsibility to address the issues Kiritsugu had kept hidden from him. Even if she may most likely end up killing him in the future, he'd never stop trying to help her.

"If that is what you wish. I only hope that you do not come to regret this choice."

"I thank you for the concern, but I will be fine," Shirou waved his hand dismissively before his face grew serious. "Though it is strange. I wasn't expecting a master and his servant to come to my rescue like that. What gives?"

Marisbury smiled once more. "Your distrust is understandable, but I assure you that I only have good intentions. Like I said to the girl, I enjoy seeing talent but hate watching it go to waste. Thus, I was hoping to offer you a deal."

"Really?" Shirou asked skeptically.

"Truly," Marisbury nodded. "Impossible as it sounds, Miss Tohsaka has told me of your unique physiology. Bonding with a heroic spirit is something that, as far as everyone is concerned, an impossibility that could not be realized. A heroic spirit's soul is normally too pure and powerful, but it seems you have managed to live in harmony. Callous as it sounds, you are simply someone who I think could be of great use for me."

"So you see me as someone too important to be left alone?" Shirou said blandly, though his tone was devoid of actual anger or malice. "How honest of you."

"Unlike most mages, I don't particularly like lying," Marisbury said with a chuckle. "But I am telling the truth... you are someone I believe could be of great use for my plans and goals. I implore you to at least listen to my offer and consider it. If you don't choose to accept, I promise I will leave you to your own devices until we inevitably meet again on the field of battle."

Shirou quietly thumbed his sword as he considered whether or not to give the mage the time of day. As a fellow competitor with an obviously powerful servant, he couldn't help but be wary. Everything about the man just felt incredibly off, from his smile to the look in his eyes. It didn't look evil, but it wasn't good either. It was as if he stood on the line of grey between white and black.

Still, Marisbury helped him out. Berserker had him on his last legs, after all. At the very least, listening to his mysterious offer seemed like a fair deal.

"Very well," He nodded as he sheathed his sword. "Let us talk."

* * *

"So that's what I'm offering. Do you have any questions?"

Shirou stared blankly at Marisbury as he sipped on a cup of tea at a leisurely pace. Turning around in his seat, he shot a look towards Tohsaka who stood in the doorway checking her nails lazily.

"Do you believe him?"

"He's not lying, that I can tell for sure."

"That's not enough to just straight up believe him."

Rin frowned at him. "Then what about the strength of his servant? Do you really think you can win against that thing?"

That had Shirou at a pause. Could he beat that servant? The one who could scare off even Berserker with just his mere presence? He wasn't a fool. A sword that could cut anything didn't mean anything if his sword couldn't reach its target.

"Then we have no choice. I accept your proposal, but that still leaves us with the matter of actually activating the grail. How do you plan on doing that?"

"The Grail itself is a very complicated artifact, but the process in which it creates a wish is not. So long as a large amount of mana is sacrificed, a wish will be granted so long as one has a proper method to do so," Marisbury said as he set his cup down and folded his hands on his lap. "The creation of the servants was said to be for this purpose, but it's actually just a roundabout way to declare who is capable of getting the grail between mages. In truth, while it'll take an extraordinary amount of power, we're capable of generating the required amount by using the leylines."

Rin frowned. "Redirecting the entirety of the leylines of Fuyuki? It's feasible... especially with your servant... but are you sure?"

"Positive. The quality of these leylines may be a far cry from the days of old, but it can still get the job done. All we need to do is funnel it into the correct spot at Mount Enzou."

"Then the only problem that remains is the other servants and masters," Shirou thumbed his sword anxiously. "I can settle things with Illya, but what of the others? Do you think you can reason with them?"

"I can only try, but I believe that they won't see to reason like you two," He smiled. "You two are quite unorthodox for mages. Miss Tohsaka certainly acts the part a little bit better than you, mister Emiya."

"Calling this dolt a mage is being generous, Lord Marisbury," Tohsaka glared at Shirou. "If it wasn't for the heroic spirit inside of him, he'd be more of a spellcaster than an actual mage."

Shirou shrugged. "I can't argue with that. Father didn't really teach me more than the basics."

"Be that as it may, you have skills that most men could only dream of. Your ability to make a difference in this world, I believe, should not be put to waste," He placed a hand under his chin in thought. "I wonder what exactly it was that drew that heroic spirit into you... If only I could figure out how to perfect such an instance then perhaps the knowledge of the past could be used to benefit the present and future."

The concept was interesting and intriguing. In fact, it was something he had thought about researching alongside his theory of spiritron transfer. Summoning a heroic spirit to inhabit an individual for use was attempted by a system he had developed known as the FATE system. He had meant to personally harness the power of his Caster for the Holy Grail War, but the system only succeeded at summoning the heroic spirit rather than physically merging the two.

Now though, he had a living specimen he could document and observe. With enough time and data, he could surely figure out how to recalibrate his system to achieve a more desirable result.

"So when do we start? I'd prefer it if we can begin as soon as possible to ensure that potential accidents and destruction could be kept to a minimum. I am the owner of this land, after all."

"I completely agree with you, Miss Tohsaka. I'll get on with it as the day breaks, but it'll take some time," Marisbury replied with a smile. "Caster will need at least an entire day to set up the ritual so I implore you to please be a little patient."

"An entire day? Your caster is pretty powerful, but is it really necessary for him to prepare for an entire day?" Shirou asked innocently.

"Normally, not really. However, drawing power from the leylines and converging it into a single spot quickly and without any care will result in the entire city going up in flames. As such, this task requires a little more... precision."

Shirou nodded. That made sense. Quickly filling a balloon with too much air too quickly will cause it to burst. Such logic could be applied to the city and the leylines.

"Then I'll leave you to it then. I trust that your servant can achieve what is necessary without incident."

"Oh? Not going to supervise me?" Marisbury asked wth surprise as Rin turned and began walking away.

"No. I'm too tired for any more work. This Holy Grail War is just too troublesome and I just want to go to sleep and clear my head. Goodnight, you two."

Rin slammed the door shut and her footsteps disappeared as she retreated back to her quarters. Marisbury just chuckled and finished drinking the last of his tea before he stood up.

"She's certainly very emotional for a magus."

Shirou shivered. "Tell me about it. She can be quite a handful sometimes."

Marisbury just chuckled. What could he expect from a bunch of teenagers? Despite the weight of her family name and the mythical power that resided in his sword, the two of them resembled normal teenagers rather than hardened mages. He wasn't complaining, though. The values that the other mages held often led them to forsake something very important. Something that he found to be more precious than anything else.

If anything, he considered these two to be important allies. Even if they were unorthodox for mages, he found a kindred spirit in each of them.

Perhaps he found a couple of diamonds in this war besides the Grail after all.

* * *

"Don't ever let your guard down around him."

Rin sighed. "I know, I know. I'm not stupid. Even if he is serious about being willing to allow us to work with him... being under someone else's protection just means that I'll only be dependent on him."

Trust was always a major factor when dealing with others, and it, unfortunately, doesn't come easily for mages like her. Chronic backstabbing disorders were common amongst mages so it was only natural.

"I'm just making sure you know what you're doing. If he were to try and do something to you... I doubt I could stop him with that servant of his," Archer said with crossed arms, the idea not sitting well with him.

Rin winced. "I'm not planning on fighting him. I know you'll lose. Still, I'm not going to be completely subservient to his every whim. I know how to watch my back."

"If you say so."

The two drifted off into silence for a bit as Rin slowly climbed into her bed and rested her head on the pillows, feeling her back loosen against the sheets with a relaxed sigh.

"Archer?" She called.

"Yes?"

"What do you plan on doing once this is all over?"

Archer frowned. "I do not know. I am skeptical of his idea about being able to sustain me after the grail is all used up. Still, I won't fight it. If I were to disappear, I disappear. Nothing much to it. Outside of this war, I can not imagine myself doing anything else other than serving you."

Rin smirked. "How generous of you, Archer. Your master is very pleased with that response."

"I am overjoyed," Archer sighed with exasperation. He then suddenly frowned, something that was not missed by Rin as her eyes furrowed in concern.

"Archer?"

"It's nothing. I just thought I felt something." Archer waved her off as he looked out the window, his frown not leaving.

He had felt some sort of energy pass through him from afar, though it didn't feel malignant or resembled a servant. Still, whatever it was it seemed to stir up some weird feelings from him.

In fact, it seemed to have come from a place he once had good connections with in his past life...

The Matou Manor.

And whatever was associated with that hellhole could not be good in the least.

* * *

"Y-you..."

Zouken Matou felt his breath leave his chest as he sunk to his knees, his cane clattering to the ground next to him pathetically.

"How does it feel, grandfather? To be on your knees like an insect in the face of your superiors... I'm glad I got to see such a thing."

The purple haired demon smiled down at him as she floated above him, her cold eyes lacking a shred of remorse or guilt. The pressure she was emitting was so heavy that Zouken couldn't find the strength within him to move away from her. Just one look and he was already a mess.

What the hell happened? He couldn't comprehend this sudden transformation. Did his training unlock some sort of dormant power within her? If so, it was freakishly terrifying even for him.

"It must feel pathetic, but such is life for an old fool who could never give up on immortality," Sakura smiled, though there was not a hint of happiness. "However, if immortality is what you want then I shall be more than happy to give it to you through my love. Family is important, after all."

Zouken's eyes widened as purple mist began to envelop him, seemingly forming out of nowhere or appearing from cracks within the ground. He screamed as the vapor touched him and he could feel his body trembling under its unknown effects. Soon, the vapor began to grow so thick that he became completely hidden from view.

"The process is extremely painful, but love often is. Endure it, grandfather. You've endured for 500 years, anyway."

Sakura smiled to herself as she thought about where to go from here. Her merging with the god of love really took her to a level of power beyond even her grandfather. Now, nothing he did could scare her. Nothing fazed her. Not those crestworms, nor her pathetic brother.

She loved that feeling. That feeling of strength. Everyone should have some form of happiness granted to them so she desired to make such a world possible.

And it was possible. With her power, she could do so. To fill the universe with the heat of her love... that was the goal she found herself working towards with her newfound powers.

Ever since she had begun to take root, the entirety of the mansion was slowly beginning to transform itself into the universe that is her body, an otherworldly world not even the public is aware of. It was with this world that she planned to use to disrupt the human order through a sudden switch in time.

If she tried to quickly begin expanding her territory now, the counter force would be all over her within moments. Thus, she decided to bide her time and wait. Once she grew her 'infinite' universe within the confines of this hell, she could quickly switch it out with the outside world in order to grant salvation before the throne could react.

It was a boring plan, but she had no qualms. After all, she was now a being who gave love for others. This was simply her job. Whether they like it or not wasn't important to her.

She licked her lips and smiled as she continued to observe Zouken's transformation. She knew her brother Shinji was still around here somewhere... probably hiding due to the sudden transformation of this world. Perhaps she could play with him for a bit before dealing with the old man's punishment...

...Now THAT really brought a smile to her face.

Playing around like this was new to her and she couldn't help but rejoice. After all, she finally held power over those who once lorded it over her. She could rip them apart to her heart's content and restructure their bodies with just a thought. She was one with the universe and the universe was one with her.

But she still wasn't complete. There was one more thing she needed.

Him.

Shirou Emiya.

No matter what, she must have him. That boy was the light of her life and the one to brighten her darkest hour. She will shower him with love and drown him in the ultimate happiness. That is what he deserved as her most treasured belonging.

Zouken Matou had been successful in creating a monster to win this Holy Grail War. A little _too _successful, for the person known as Sakura Matou has now begun to transform into a calamity that will swallow the world whole.


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you ready to go?"

Shirou glanced at Marisbury as the man finished delicately wiping the crumbs from the corner of his mouth. The man had changed out of his old attire and had opted for a regular white coat with white pants. It made him look to be a refined doctor of some sort.

But regardless, his refined nature was starting to almost grate on Shirou's nerves. After all...

Who takes thirty minutes to drink tea and eat a single slice of toast?!

"Patience, Shirou. There is no need to rush. The war is in its infancy," Marisbury quipped with a small smile as he gently placed the teacup down. "Youths these days... so full of energy."

Shirou rolled his eyes. He didn't dislike the man, but he was just so weird. Honestly, he didn't look to be older than his mid-twenties, yet he was talking like he was an older man.

Then again, he could have been a lot older. He wasn't an expert, but he didn't put it beyond the realm of possibility that there were ways to slow down the process of aging. Marisbury could have used such a spell to live for hundreds of years as a young man.

The thought made him shudder. What if Marisbury was a secret lizard-human? He certainly was weird enough.

"I'm just worried about the casualty rate. The longer this war goes on, the higher the chance of innocents being injured," Shirou shrugged, thumbing his sword anxiously.

"Indeed. In that regard, it would be more convenient if we were to work faster," Marisbury agreed as he stood up and gently slipped on a pair of white gloves. "But there is no need to speed on ahead like a charging bull. It is quite rare that I get to explore a city like this. I, for one, want to enjoy this experience for a bit."

Shirou wanted to retort that they may not have a city in a few days, but he held his tongue. Perhaps he was being a little bit nervous about the state of his city, but could anyone blame him? This place was his home. Also, he was someone who believed in nipping a problem in the bud before letting it grow into something beyond one's control.

With powerful superhumans on the loose like Berserker, it was merely only a matter of time before an innocent got hurt.

But Marisbury's servant was reliable. With Caster's strength, he had no doubt they'd be able to take on Berserker and the rest of the other servants. Perhaps he was worrying over nothing.

Speaking of which...

"Where is Caster?" Shirou asked as he looked around the room, noticing the mage's lack of presence.

"He will join us as soon as I call for him," Marisbury replied as he stepped past him and out the door. "Come along, dear boy."

Shirou rolled his eyes and followed after the man. Tohsaka was still asleep, so it looked as if he was going to have to get friendly with this man for the entire day. He didn't know if that was a good thing, but he could certainly think of a lot worse situations to be in.

* * *

"Hmm..."

Illyasviel von Einzbern sat in her quarters with a contemplating expression on her face. She swirled her tea around gently with her spoon, though she appeared to be unconcerned with actually participating in the drink. No. There were far more essential matters to think about.

"I am pleased you've returned home safely," Her maid Sella spoke with a composed tone as she bowed next to her. "I was quite worried when you didn't come home on time. I feared that you might have fallen in battle."

"Sella, you know that wouldn't have happened. Berserker would have protected me," Illya sighed, slightly annoyed with her maid's fussiness. "He's the strongest in the world, after all."

"You're right, mistress. However, you're not like Berserker-"

"The strongest."

"Yes, but-"

"The. Strongest."

Sella sighed as Illya glared at her, though it looked more like a pout rather than something threatening. Besides, she had served as Illya's caretaker for quite a while. She could tell when her mistress was angry.

"Yes, mistress," She conceded with a barely withheld sigh. "But regardless, you came back quite troubled. Did something unusual happen last night?"

Illya fell silent for a second before she closed her eyes and placed her cup on the table.

"I met my brother yesterday."

Sella's eyes widened in surprise. She should have suspected as much. Illya often spoke of meeting her brother long before they had even set foot in Fuyuki. It was only natural that she'd attempt to seek him out on the first night.

Although what she wouldn't admit it out loud, Illya's whole obsession could get disturbing sometimes.

She didn't exactly know the full details. Illya would often give vague information regarding the subject, but she had enough to paint a small picture. Regardless, she wasn't one to pry in her master's personal history. She only lived to serve, after all.

"What did you think of him?" She asked, testing the waters.

"He was... interesting," Illya muttered. "Although, he wasn't anything like what I expected from the son of the Magus Killer. He's too nice and... innocent."

His character quite troubled her. Grandfather Acht had told her what her father was like back in the day. A stone-cold killer who always got the job done no matter what. His brutal methods guaranteed the death of his targets no matter how powerful they were, making him popular amongst those who could afford his services.

She had expected someone with a troublesome attitude reminiscent of a killer. Still, her brother didn't seem to exude such an aura. He certainly did know how to wield that sword of his in an effective manner that'd make most samurai jealous, but it also felt as if he didn't truly have the cold disposition of a killer.

But why was that? Surely the son of Kiritsugu Emiya would have a heart as cold as ice, yet why was it that he seemed so...

She scowled. Damn it all. Now she couldn't even find words to describe that stupid brother of hers. It was all just so confusing!

"Milady, please calm yourself. If he troubles you so, then you must speak to him on your own later," Sella suggested. "Perhaps a small chat will allow you to make a more proper judgment?"

"A chat?" Illya echoed, surprised by the sudden suggestion. "I see... yes, that does make sense. Perhaps a chat will allow me to ascertain the reason why my father left me."

She stood up and giggled to herself as she twirled about the room like a young child.

"Alright, it's decided! The next time I see Shirou, I'll sit him down for a friendly chat!"

Illya pranced out of the room, her giggles echoing throughout the empty halls. Sella watched her go with a sigh before turning towards the warm cup of tea, which sat unattended on the table.

Sella picked up the drink, her face forming an exasperated expression.

"You didn't even finish your drink..."

* * *

Marisbury found human civilization to be quite... interesting. So many wonders were born in the hearts of many cities, under the ingenuity of numerous talented individuals. It is for this reason that humans were perhaps the most precious organism on the planet.

He really could not understand how some could purposely dedicate their lives to living away from such brilliance. Was it not humanity that continued to unearth the mysteries of this world? Was it not them who have begun to take the first steps to leave the cradle, which gave them life? Humanity was the only species capable of building a worthwhile future for themselves. Not the birds in the sky nor the fish in the sea can claim such a right.

It was for this reason that he secretly detested most magi. Those who'd turn their back on humanity for the sake of achieving the Root were fools on the road of self-destruction. To him, humanity was a precious gem far more valuable than some archive beyond the confines of the universe.

If he were to achieve the standing to visit such a place... it'd only be to help humanity.

"How many more do we need?"

The magus was cut out of his musings as Shirou spoke up from beside him, his visage furrowed as he glanced around the area cautiously, keeping an eye out for any threats. Their little hunt had taken up most of the day. It'd have certainly gone by faster if Marisbury hadn't been distracted by every little sight in the city.

"Patience. Only one more or so," Marisbury held up a hand while flashing his smile. "I would have thought that you'd appreciate this, not having to go to school and all."

Shirou grunted. "I don't care about that. Attending school is the least of my worries."

He never really gave much of a thought to school. He was certainly not a bad student, but school was more of a task that he just had to do. He never really was focused on the academic aspects. After all, how could reading about trigonometry and literature help him become a hero?

Well, he knew that he'd have to use aspects of those subjects in his daily life, but why would he spend several hours of his life reading a book when he could learn as he went? Besides, his structural analysis magecraft made it easy for him to grasp the principles behind those subjects. Or at least, the critical aspects.

To focus on the war, Marisbury had opted to make a pit stop by the academy and utilize Caster to hypnotize all of the faculty and staff into temporarily forgetting about Shirou and Rin. It'd allow them to bypass the need to come up with an excuse as to why they wouldn't be attending for the next week or so. Caster performed the task with a literal wave of his hand, making Shirou wonder if there wasn't anything the servant couldn't do.

"Hm... Well, I suppose it can't be helped. For a swordmaster like you, school must now feel out of your element," Marisbury determined as he sent the boy a look of amusement. "But it's not as if I can't relate. School is quite... boring."

"What, you attended a school?" Shirou asked unbelievingly. The man certainly had a scholarly attitude to him, but it felt weird to picture him attending a public school with others.

"No, not really. I received tutoring from my family and several other sources. Hardly the school setting you imagine," Marisbury said. "We Animusphere's work in secrecy as most magi do. We rarely interact with the modern world except in the most extreme of cases. Why, if I were not the head of the family, I'm sure I would have been executed!"

Marisbury let out a small laugh, seemingly finding such a scenario amusing. On the other hand, Shirou just shied away slightly as he found the mage's humor quite unsettling.

"Well, that's neither here nor there. Let us focus back to the topic at hand," Marisbury pulled out a small card and muttered something under his breath, drawing Shirou's interest as a holographic map of the city appeared. "We've secured nearly all of the major leylines in the city, and Caster is ready to begin siphoning the mana as soon as it's time to redirect it. Regardless, there's still one more major leyline I'd like to take control of before we begin."

He pointed towards the southern part of the city where all the western-styled buildings were located. It wasn't too far off from Tohsaka's manor.

"The last major leyline we'll hit will be in this subdivision. Since it's so close to Miss Tohsaka's house, I saved it for last so we could just hit it when we returned," Marisbury explained as he tapped the spot with his finger. "This leyline, in particular, is quite powerful. It's as strong as the last two leylines combined. With this, we'll certainly have more than enough energy to summon the grail."

"I see..." Shirou muttered as he observed the spot, though he felt some nagging feeling at the back of his mind that only continued to get stronger the longer he stared.

"Something wrong?" Marisbury asked curiously, catching his look.

Shirou slowly shook his head. "No... not really. It's just that the location is in one of my friend's neighborhoods."

"Ah, worried?" Marisbury inquired, earning a slow nod. "Do not worry. We'll make it quick. We won't be here long enough to cause trouble."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

Marisbury chuckled. "I suppose I can't be for certain. Let us hope that this will be a simple affair, no?"

The two continued their walk at a faster pace. The sun was beginning to set, and night will soon be upon them. If they didn't want to be attacked by any servants, it was paramount that they finish up as quickly as possible.

Yet Shirou felt himself growing more and more tense. He recognized these streets. The western houses here looked completely different compared to the regular Japanese home. This was where the wealthy exchange students stayed, and it was rare for any of them to be occupied.

But there was one house he knew for sure would be occupied.

"Here we are."

The pair stopped in front of a house which towered over the other estates nearby. Calling it a house would be insulting the men who built it. Instead, it was more accurate to call it a castle. It's stone structures loomed ominously above them, and a small courtyard containing numerous brown trees greeted them at the entrance.

It was a sight he rarely got to see, but it was something etched into his memory.

"This place is directly over the leyline," Marisbury declared as he surveyed the area. "Quite the place. It reminds me of my estate."

"Where are we going to put the seal?"

"It'll be easier for Caster to control the leyline if the seal is placed directly at its center. Unfortunately, that'll mean we'd have to go inside," Marisbury stroked his chin in thought. "Perhaps we should break in? I'm sure it'll be easy for us to sneak in. Perhaps we could go in through the window over-"

"We'll just knock," Shirou cut him off, walking ahead. "I know the people living here."

"Ah," Marisbury looked slightly disappointed if only for a moment. "Well, that makes things certainly convenient."

The two walked up to the front door, and Shirou raised a hand, pounding on the door and causing a jarring sound that echoed throughout the empty courtyard.

"Hey, Sakura! It's me, Shirou! Could you let me in? I need to talk to you about something!"

Silence.

Shirou waited a couple of seconds before frowning. That's odd. Sakura would generally be quick to answer the door. If not her then Shinji, though that was because he'd likely try to kick him off the premise.

He raised a hand to knock on the door again. "Hey, Sakura! Are you-"

"Wait," Marisbury spoke up, causing Shirou to freeze. The mage's expression was set into a frown as he stared at the door, observing it with distaste as if the wood itself was poisonous. "I'm detecting something faint from within the house."

That didn't bode well.

"What are you detecting?" Shirou asked urgently, worry creeping into his tone.

"The scent of magical energy," Marisbury said as he ran his hand over the door carefully. "And it's not from the leyline either. It's something far more pure, but it feels... tainted."

Shirou's eyes widened. "Then, are you saying that there's something dangerous in this house?"

"Everything a mage does is dangerous," Marisbury reiterated. "It may have gone unnoticed by you, but there's no doubt in my mind that this place is a mage's workshop. However, the purity and quality of what I'm detecting isn't something that should exist in this world."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that this place is an anomaly amongst anomalies," Marisbury continued to explain, his tone grave. "Whatever is behind these doors is ancient. We might not even be dealing with a magus at this point. It's similar to those found in the wandering sea of-"

Before he could finish his thought, the two suddenly jumped in surprise as the doors swung open with such force that they should have gone flying off their hinges. Before they could recover, the two were suddenly pulled forward as if a powerful magnetic force was acting upon them.

They tumbled to the floor, and the door snapped shut behind them. Quickly getting to their feet, the pair were met with a strange sight as they observed their surroundings.

The interior was something to be expected of a western mansion, but the air was thick and heavy with a particularly strong smell. Purple vapors and hues covered the area, burning their noses with an unknown odor that made their senses run wild.

"W-what the hell?" Shirou muttered as he looked around in confusion. "What's this smell?"

"It must be some sort of aphrodisiac," Marisbury quickly covered his face with his sleeve in an attempt to prevent breathing in too much of the gas. His expression turned to one of discomfort. "The atmosphere is different. It's almost as if we've stepped into another world."

Shirou didn't quite understand the concept behind what Marisbury was saying, but he definitely could pick up on how the interior of the house felt... alien. It just didn't feel right for him to be here. Even when he was put face to face with Berserker and Lancer, he only felt a primal form of fear at facing superior foes. The interior of the Matou household instead gave him a feeling of unease and a sense of not belonging.

It was as if his body was rejecting this reality with all its being. No human was supposed to be within the confines of these walls.

Had Sakura been putting up with this hell for all her life? Is that why she always saw him off at the gate rather than let him inside?

His fists clenched. Sakura. He had to make sure she was ok.

"Sakura!" He called out. "Are you here?!"

Only silence greeted him, and he inwardly cursed out of frustration.

"It seems as if your friend isn't here," Marisbury said as he stepped beside him, eyes warily scanning the surrounding. "Or if she is... then she currently is indisposed."

Shirou bit his lip, frustration evident. "I'll find her. You go and set the seal."

"Normally, I'd agree with you. But the truth of the matter is that it's too dangerous for either of us to be wandering around right now, especially since we know so little as to what is going on here."

Shirou opened his mouth to argue but quickly snapped it shut when he realized that Marisbury was right. Like it or not, they couldn't afford to split up. Not while they were in this alien world.

"Then stick close. If things get dicey, don't hesitate to summon Caster."

"You do not need to tell me."

Unfortunately for them, danger would come sooner than they thought.

**"My, my, some unexpected guests, I see." **

"!"

Shirou and Marisbury quickly turned and found themselves face to face with a young woman dressed in revealing purple attire. A purple veil hung down her body, serving as the only form of clothing other than the golden armor plates that covered her breasts and nether region. Dark stockings covered her legs and a multitude of translucent, ethereal tendrils veils draped from her shoulders.

It was an otherworldly sight fit for this mysterious realm. The woman certainly had a bewitching aura to her, but that was not the reason as to why Shirou found himself at a loss for words.

Her face... it was familiar.

"Sakura?"

Shirou whispered that name with disbelief. The woman before him was most certainly his friend, but she was different somehow. It no longer felt as if he were looking at the same girl he took care of throughout the school year.

For starters, he never pegged her for the type to wear such revealing clothing. She was a modest person, always trying to not draw attention to herself. Since when would she ever dare to show so much skin like that?

'Sakura' gave a smile that was equal parts serene and cruel. **"Sakura... so you know the name of this vessel? Then that must mean you were the boy I saw within her memories... the one closest to her heart."**

"Be careful, Shirou," Marisbury whispered as he observed the being with clear distress. "It seems as if you know this woman, but do not be fooled. It is merely a mask to cover up a greater appearance. A possession of sorts."

Shirou's eyes widened. "Possession? Like, a demonic possession?"

He had heard tales of such occurrences. They were rare and often thought to be caused by people with mental conditions rather than actual possession by a demon from beyond.

**"When you say it like that, it sounds so cruel. It is nothing of the sort," **The being laughed, a hand covering her mouth in amusement. **"The girl and I have merged, and she has accepted me into her heart willingly. I exist here because she allows it."**

"Be that as it may, her consciousness isn't here right now, is it?" Marisbury narrowed his eyes. "Whatever being you are, you may have tempted the girl with a certain incentive to let you in, but what you're doing isn't a merger. It is something far more dastardly."

The mage lifted a finger accusingly. "You've shunted the girl's consciousness to the back of your mind, haven't you? She isn't truly aware of what she is doing!"

"!"

The being looked momentarily surprised by the mage's declaration. Even Shirou couldn't help but be bewildered by Marisbury's train of thought, finding it hard to keep up with his deductions with his lack of general knowledge.

**"Oh dear... you're quite cunning, aren't you?" **The being smiled, recovering from the surprise. **"You're right, of course. The girl you know as 'Sakura' is not currently with us right now. Her mind wouldn't be able to handle the vastness of my being, so I shut her away to prevent her mortal mind from crumbling."**

Shirou's grip on his katana tightened. "So you're saying that you've taken Sakura over?"

**"Hm... Taking her over his a bit extreme. It isn't something so barbaric. She wished for salvation and I plan on granting it to her. I could never have taken over if she didn't wish for it," **'Sakura's' smile widened. **"Worry not. My love is boundless. She will not be hurt ever again. I have saved her where you have not."**

The being raised a hand, and the overwhelming aroma became even more pungent, nearly causing Marisbury and Shirou to topple over as they felt their sense of smell be overloaded.

"Urk!"

Shirou nearly toppled over from the smell, and Marisbury didn't look like he was faring any better. If they stayed here any longer, the results wouldn't be pretty for either of them.

But well, it wasn't as if the being look like it had any plans on letting them leave.

**"You two may resist all you want, but my love will eventually reach your cores. Submit yourself to me and drown within my endless love. Only then will you experience true happiness."**

Shirou drew his sword and slashed at the mist in an attempt to blow it off, but it only dissipated for a brief moment before reforming. It was a stupid idea. After all, can you even cut a mist? But at this point, he was desperate to try anything.

Marisbury raised his right hand, his command seal glowing faintly. "By my command seal, appear before me!"

The sigil glowed and one part of it vanished as magical energy gathered around them.

"Caster!"

There was an explosion of light and the king of magic appeared, his majestic form radiating magical power like a wave which blew the vapor away from them. The mage's face was calm and composed, almost robotic-like even as he surveyed his surroundings.

"Master," Caster spoke as he stepped forward. "I have come in answer to your summons."

"Get us out of here," Marisbury ordered, his voice muffled by his sleeve. "Defend us from this being. It is not some ordinary servant."

As Caster took note of the being before him, his eyes narrowed in a rare display of emotion. He too could feel the taint this being carried, but he was perturbed for a different reason.

Because this being was-

**"Oh? How surprising," **The being drawled, also surprised by the servant. **"To think that a servant of your caliber would be summoned. Did you come in response to the grail war... or because of me? Regardless, you will fall here and be absorbed by my love."**

Caster raised his hands and a wall of fire rose up within the hallways. The inferno was so hot that Shirou could feel the oxygen in the air be consumed at an alarming rate, making it hard for him to breathe.

The flames crawled up and down the walls like a snake as they crept towards 'Sakura'. Instead of looking troubled, she merely smiled and raised a hand. A pillar of purple flames rose up to match Caster's own, countering it.

**"Your flames are potent to match my own, but my love is all-consuming. Can one human, no matter how powerful, match the universe? I think not."**

Shirou didn't understand what she was saying. Universe? Love? What was her fixation on those concepts? He wanted to ask her, but he knew that the being within Sakura was beyond reason at this point. The only choice now is to escape.

As Caster raised another wall of fire, Shirou quickly pulled Marisbury to his feet.

"Come on, we have to get out of here!'

Marisbury nodded in agreement and quickly steadied himself. As they turned to leave, however, a shape flew at them from one of the adjacent hallways.

"!"

Shirou quickly drew his sword as a humanoid form towered over him. The being was snow white and was reminiscent of a human, but it held no actual human qualities. A simple black dot hung where its face should be, devoid of life and intelligence.

"SCREEEE!"

The creature quickly raised one of its arms in an attempt to swipe at them. Shirou reacted quickly, drawing his sword and cutting it in half before it could do so. It fell to the ground beside them, squirming and flailing for a bit before it stilled.

"What the hell is that?" Shirou asked as he observed the creature's remains.

"A homunculus," Marisbury said as he kept a safe distance away from the corpse. "It lacks human qualities, but it's still a dangerous foe. It must have been a part of the estate's defense system. If that's the case..."

Several more screeches brought their attention down another hallway as several more homunculi scrambled towards them in a frenzied mess.

"There will be more of them," Marisbury grimaced. "Get the door. Even if you have the power of a servant, they have numbers on their side. We'll be overrun soon enough."

Shirou nodded and quickly moved to the front door. He tried the handle, but the door didn't budge even with his enhanced strength. He drew his sword and slashed, but he stumbled backward in surprise as his sword bounced off uselessly.

The being smiled at him from the other side of the flames. **"You cannot do harm to the foundation of my world. So long as you are inside me, you are virtually powerless. Not even that sword, which has reached a realm beyond normal phantasms, can cut through my universe. Your actions... are futile."**

Marisbury let out a curse as the homunculi began to come closer. "Protect me, Caster!"

Caster quickly blasted the artificial beings with a burst of pure prana, incinerating them in an instant. As soon as they were reduced to ashes, however, more began to show up from the hallways.

"Marisbury!" Shirou called out as he quickly went to the mage's side. "What do we do now?!"

There was no way out of here. If his sword failed to cut through the front door, there was no chance in them breaking out through brute force. Despite 'Sakura's' gloating, she spoke the truth when she said that their actions were futile.

Marisbury didn't appear to be panicking, but the mage's face was set in a stony expression as he attempted to find the answer to their problems. Regardless, no matter how many scenarios and ideas he came up with, he just couldn't find their saving grace from this hell.

Caster was a supreme mage, the greatest when compared to the magi of the present. However, even his own mystical knowledge wasn't enough to combat this threat before them. Because even if Caster's magecraft and techniques were ancient, this being possessed a mystery that was older and much more powerful.

The chances of their survival were close to nothing at this point... loathe as he was to accept such a fact.

But still...

"Caster, defeat this demon!" Marisbury declared as he steeled himself for battle. "If you take her down, this whole world will disappear and everything will revert to normal!"

Caster nodded without a word. He already knew what would be asked of him, of course. Even if it was suicidal, he could only answer the orders of his master to the very end.

**"Futile. Useless. Throw your pride to the side and submit already," **The being spoke, a hint of annoyance leaking from her tone. **"There is no other end than for you to receive my love. Why not drown yourself willingly? Otherwise... you may get burned."**

Marisbury, Shirou, and Caster remained silent. There was no need for words at this point. Even if the end looked inevitable, they would never submit themselves to this demon or beg for their lives.

Before any of them could react, however, the whole room began to shake violently. Sakura's expression morphed into one of surprise as she eyed the door with wide eyes.

A small red hole appeared at the front door, twisting itself and distorting the space around it. It was as if some force from the outside was drilling its way through by force, tearing the fabric of this reality by its seams.

**"Impossible!"**

Sakura cried out in disbelief as the door was completely blown open, revealing the outside world. Standing in the doorway was a single man with golden hair and crimson eyes, observing them cooly with a regal disposition.

In that instant, Shirou felt something shift in the air. The powerful smell that once surrounded them seemed to dissipate in the presence of this man. It was as if the mist skirted around his form, fearful of touching him.

Fearful of touching a king.

"I had thought something was wrong for quite a while now," The golden man's voice resounded through the halls, a smug smile on his face. "To think that a lowly maggot would dare make its nest within my gardens. Such a crime must be punished with the speed of a falling star!"

The golden man stepped forward into the mansion unperturbed and swept his arm. Several portals opened up behind him, shooting out several chains which quickly bound Shirou, Marisbury, and Caster.

"H-hey!" Shirou exclaimed as he tried to lift his sword and failed. "Who are you?! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Fool!" The man scoffed as he walked past them. "You three will only get in the way of my extermination! I cannot perform at my peak if I have you mongrels distracting me with your grating words!"

The man snapped his fingers and the chains creaked.

"Begone!"

The chains quickly recoiled and flung the trio outside, sending them straight into the dirt without an ounce of care. Shirou spat the dirt out of his mouth and quickly got to his feet as he turned towards the golden man-

-Only to find the doors to the estate slam in his face.

"...Well, that certainly was close," Marisbury muttered as he stood up and narrowed his eyes at the building. "It appears as if we cannot enter the estate so long as that being is there. An alternate reality has been imposed within these walls, and it'll take some serious effort to breach it. Even if we did... I do not think we are ready to face such a monster. It is best that we leave the place alone for a while."

"So? We cannot just sit back and let it do as it pleases! Sakura is in trouble!"

"You cannot save your friend if you cannot defeat what binds her," Marisbury retorted, shutting Shirou up. "Our current level of strength is insufficient to combat a threat like that. We shall retreat for now and live to fight another day. Come, Caster."

Caster nodded silently, but his gaze lingered on the house slightly longer than usual before vanishing into spirit form.

Although he wouldn't say anything now, he knew the scale of the threat that was brewing within the manor. One of his functions, if he were in a container of exceptional quality, is to combat beings like her.

But as he was now... such a feat would be difficult. And while the presence of that man was surprising, he could only hope that the golden king was strong enough to contain the threat for now.

* * *

**"It's just one surprise after another," **The demon sighed as she faced the golden king who stood before her, unafraid of what she was. **"To think you would bother rescuing those worms..."**

"Worms they may be, but they are still my toys," The man proclaimed with a haughty smile. "Only I am allowed to break them. A being of filth like you has no right to lord over my garden."

**"How arrogant of you, stray servant," **The demon muttered. **"I can smell divinity from you, but what of it? Compared to the one who sat under the tree and endured my assault, you are nothing. I will burn you away with my love."**

"You may try, vile creature, but I will not submit myself to a thing like you," The man smirked as several portals appeared behind him. "Come, I shall send you back to the void from which you came!"


	6. Chapter 6

Shirou and Marisbury had quickly returned to Rin's estate. The red devil had been sipping on a cup of tea prepared by Archer before they burst through the front door dripping with sweat.

Needless to say, she had been quite surprised by the sight. As per her character, she gave them a proper chastising on how rude it was to drip their fluids all over her fifty-four thousand yen rug but thankfully kept it to a minimum, seeing how shaken they were.

So between panting breaths, they explained the situation to her at the living room table. The state of the Matou manor, the abnormal existence inhabiting Sakura, and the appearance of that golden servant, all of it was explained in grave detail. By the end of their tirade, a deadly silence hung in the air as Rin processed what they had just told her.

A concerned look had begun to appear on her face at the mention of Sakura's face, but she seemed to remain mostly composed. Regardless, she seemed particularly affected by that piece of information. Was it because Sakura was an underclassmen? Perhaps, but Shirou got the feeling there was something more there. The two didn't interact much as far as he could tell.

Regardless, he didn't press the issue. At this point, there was no way to approach the topic tactfully.

"So that's the situation," Marisbury finished, idly sipping his cup of tea which he had already prepared for himself. "Knowing all of this... what do you plan on doing?"

"What do you think?" Rin snapped with frustration. "As hectic as the information is, if what you said is true, then I have no choice but to deal with the matter before it gets out of hand."

She stood up and began pacing around the room, biting her thumb as she mulled over what she should do.

"A demonic possession... by Sakura no less. If it's strong enough to transform the entire Matou manor into another world, then the Holy Grail War will be the least of our worries... especially if the Church catches wind of this."

Marisbury nodded. "Indeed. Sadly, we may not have a choice in the matter. If we seek to defeat this threat before it gains too much power, we may require the assistance of professional exorcists."

"Wait, the Church has professional exorcists for these kinds of situations?" Shirou questioned, surprised that such an organization actually had people trained for such things. To be honest, the concept of demonic possession had never really crossed his mind before.

"Of course they do. There have even been public documents about such events occurring," Marisbury explained, an amused smile crossing his face. "Why it was quite shocking to us mages for them to keep records of such a display of mystery, but so long as the public doesn't think much of it then we'll be happy to leave the matter alone."

"Regardless, don't think these exorcists are kind folk," Rin warned, glaring at Shirou to ram the point home. "They're all freaks who train their bodies to go beyond normal limits and have no regard for the demon's host or bystanders. To them, preventing demons from entering this world is their number one priority that supersedes anything else."

At that description, Shirou found himself tensing.

"So you're saying that they'd destroy Sakura without a second thought if it meant stopping the demon?"

"Of course. Their fanaticism is that deep, though I cannot say I blame them," Marisbury hummed, noticing the look Shirou had and deducing what his inner thoughts must have been. "After all, one possessed by a demon is no longer human, and if they became a threat to thousands, it'd be better to sacrifice one life in their place."

It was a logical conclusion. The lives of a thousand mathematically outweigh the lives of a hundred. To eliminate a threat that could potentially become large enough to end the world, it was only natural for exorcists to employ any method they could think of to annihilate the threat. Most demons, no matter how powerful, required a living host to interact with the world. That was their only limit, and as beings who existed beyond ordinary reason, humans had to take advantage of that fact to combat them.

But regardless, Shirou couldn't fully accept such an outcome. He understood the logic and the principle behind it, but he couldn't stoop to such a tactic if he didn't try saving Sakura first. She deserved better than that, and he felt as if...

...As if she wouldn't be in this position if he had just seen the signs before.

A sword should only be drawn when you are prepared to kill somebody. That was the creed he lived by. But if he were to point that blade of his against a friend... could he honestly go through with such a task?

The old him would have protested. He'd have foolishly said no all the way to the bitter end, even if it cost the lives of thousands. Now, ever since he merged with Sengo Muramasa, his thoughts felt more calm and rational. The old man was perhaps the opposite of him in many key factors, but their personalities seemed to mesh oddly enough, subtly influencing his ego.

So he'd do everything he can. Only when every option was exhausted would he pull the trigger.

It was his duty. He would not let anyone else bear this burden. If the demon declared that he was the closest to her heart, then it was only right that he'd be the one to set things right.

"Then what should we do?" Shirou asked. "Do we contact the Church? Tell them what's happening here?"

"Unfortunately, I doubt the two of us have any means of getting in touch with them," Marisbury helpfully pointed out as usual. "Mages and the Church don't exactly get along. I never had any need or reason to contact them. I heard that the Tohsakas are on good terms with them, though..."

"I'm in the same boat as you," Rin sighed, rubbing her temples. "My father was the one who had favorable connections, but they only went to low-ranking members who had no hand in the executive decisions. They wouldn't have been able to help us."

She closed her eyes for a second, seemingly thinking about something and not particularly liking whatever she was coming up with.

"There is an alternative, however," She began as she opened her eyes. "We can ask Kotomine Kirei for help... though I'm not sure how reliable that shady priest would be."

Marisbury nodded. "A good idea and I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments. The priest is certainly an interesting individual."

Shirou knew that better than anyone. While he didn't hold any ill will towards the man, he could tell that something was off with the priest. Whether that made him dangerous or not was left up for debate, but it remained with certainty that the man's presence made everyone uncomfortable.

But at this point... who else could they go to? Besides, this was supposed to be part of his duties. If there was something that threatened the integrity of the Grail War, it'd be his job to take care of it.

"Then it's settled," Rin declared as she sat back down. "We'll go see the fake priest in the morning and ask him for help."

"Wait," Shirou began, confused. "Why can't we just go now?"

Rin rolled her eyes, giving him a look saying '_are you stupid?' _"You and Marisbury are too damn tired to attempt negotiations with Kotomine. You need to be one-hundred percent focused if you plan on making a deal with the devil, so shut up and get some rest. I'm not going to face that creepy man alone, you hear me?!"

Shirou raised his hands in surrender while Marisbury chuckled. It was pointless to argue with her now, not when she had a very good point. The adrenaline which had kept them on their feet had long since faded, leaving him with a sense of fatigue and aching muscles. More than anything, he wanted a soft, comfy mattress to lay down on.

He forced himself to his feet and trudged like a zombie towards the nearest bedroom while Marisbury simply leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Rin eyed the two with a scrutinizing look before she got up and retreated into the hallway, finding the home phone set up on the wall. Picking it up, she dialed the necessary numbers before waiting a couple of seconds.

Soon, the line clicked, and a voice dripping with amusement reached her ears.

_"It is the late hours of the night. For what reason are you calling me?" _

"Because we've got a problem. I'll be seeing you in the morning, fake priest. Just thought I'd be generous and call in advance," Rin replied in a no-nonsense tone. She had no patience for this right now. "And when we get there... you better help us out, got that? This may be bigger than the damn war."

The priest was silent, and she thought that she must have surprised him for a moment, but his voice soon returned with an amused chuckle.

_"Very well. It is rare for you to make such a serious request. Rest assured, I will treat you with the utmost... hospitality." _

She rolled her eyes and slammed the receiver down, ending the call.

"Hospitality my ass..." She grumbled before she headed back to her room for a quick nap.

* * *

As he watched his master leave, Archer materialized silently in the hallway. He narrowed his eyes at the receiver, definitely not looking forward to meeting the priest on the other end again. Regardless, the man was perhaps their only available ally. Even if he was perhaps one of the scummiest human beings on earth, there was no doubt that he was a man of many talents.

Besides, if he was working alongside them, it'd be easier to keep an eye on him. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer as the saying goes.

Regardless, the priest didn't hold the answers to what he sought. Only someone else could enlighten him.

Moving through the manor, he tracked the familiar presence of Caster. The task proved to be an easy one, as it was practically impossible to miss the large amount of magical energy that radiated off of that servant. It was as if his presence was like a sun, sending a beacon for everyone to see. The amount was abnormal by servant standards, but he had his suspicions as to why.

He found the mage sitting quietly in the upper levels by the window, unmoving as he stared through the glass and towards the moon.

"Caster, we have to talk."

The white-haired man turned his head and regarded him without a change in his usual expression, but the light in his eye was different. He looked... troubled.

"What is your question?" Caster asked, his voice robotic. "Perhaps... in regards to what the host of Saber and my master encountered?"

He nodded and slowly stepped closer until they were at a comfortable distance.

"Yes," He admitted. "In regards to what your master and that boy experienced... it's not some ordinary demon, correct?"

A brief change of emotion flickered on Caster's face. He slowly nodded in confirmation.

"Indeed. How did you arrive at that conclusion?"

"Let's just say that I've experienced certain signatures like your own and what that entails for the future."

The two shared a look and Caster's eyes dawned in realization. The mage stood up and looked him up from top to bottom, catching every detail with his observational eyes.

"I see..." He muttered, his eyes narrowed as he processed this new information. "You aren't a normal heroic spirit, are you?"

Archer shook his head. "No, I am not."

"A Counter Guardian?"

"Yes."

Caster turned away, his hand under his chin as his expression turned grave. "Then the situation is as I feared... A great calamity is about to fall upon this world and the birthplace will be here in the midst of this Grail War."

"Indeed," Archer nodded. "But I wasn't summoned here in order to deal with that demon you encountered. I had no idea something like her would even manifest."

"What?" Caster turned back to him with wide eyes. "Then... there is something else as well?"

"My mission in regards to participating in the Fuyuki Grail War is the elimination of the Grail itself," Archer revealed, surprising Caster. "The reason is that the device is corrupted by a certain troublesome servant. If it were to be summoned into this world, it'll release a torrent of curses that will drown the world and extinguish humanity. My job is to destroy it the second it does so."

"Cursed..." The mage muttered. "Then you mean to say that this whole thing is a farce? No matter who wins the Grail... the end result will be the same?"

"Unless you are able to exorcise a billion curses, then yes," Archer said, shaking his head. "King of Magicians you may be, I doubt even you'd be able to do that. Perhaps it is fortunate that you weren't able to place the last sigil and summon it so early, especially with that other monster running around."

But that certainly made his life a whole lot harder. It would have been so easy to snipe the Grail with Caladabolg and stop the full effects of the curse from spreading. Sadly, life never was so easy for him even after death.

Caster was quiet as he processed this new piece of information. He participated in this war because he was called, and he knew that Marisbury had staked everything on his victory in the war. It was why he poured many resources to recover his ring and use it as a means of summoning him. If he were to realize that the grail wouldn't grant him a wish, but instead unleash a terrible curse upon the world...

He shook his head. Marisbury will just have to live with it and entrust the future to his daughter. They had more pressing matters to address.

"The being that you encountered... it must be an enemy of humanity, correct?" Archer asked, cutting into his thoughts.

Caster nodded. "Yes, though it must be an infant. For as powerful as it was, it seemed to be... contained. My container isn't in its higher capacity, so it's safe to assume the World hasn't identified it as a true threat."

The system put in place to defend the World was certainly effective in crushing threats that have manifested, but it suffered serious setbacks in the form of its own strict guidelines. If certain criteria weren't met even a little bit then the Counter Force will not be able to act. Those blindspots were being exploited by that demon in order to amass enough power without drawing the attention of the defense system.

It was certainly crafty. If it wasn't recognized as a threat, then its natural enemies wouldn't appear until it was too late.

"Then there is only one thing left to do."

Archer raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the mage shut his eyes, but his breath suddenly hitched as the air around them suddenly changed. In that instant, Caster's entire demeanor changed as he reopened his eyes, a soft hue surrounding his irises.

"I had put off on using these eyes of mine, for the visions I have seen are mostly that of grief and suffering," Caster began, and Archer felt as if his focus wasn't really on him. In fact, it felt as if he were looking right through him. "However, I shall perceive that which cannot normally be seen. What secrets that lie in the dark will be brought to the light before my eyes that see through all."

* * *

As soon as the sun began to appear over the horizon, the group had begun their trip to the church. Despite the morning glow illuminating their surroundings, the church was still as creepy as ever.

Rin glanced at Shirou and Marisbury, satisfied knowing that they seemed to be wide awake. At least she wouldn't have to face Kotomine Kirei alone.

"Be on your guard," She warned as they passed the silent stone statue and ascended the steps towards the doors. "There's no telling what that priest has in store for us. Whether he helps us or not is a coin toss, but he'll no doubt be troublesome either way."

Marisbury nodded. "Do not worry about me. Let us focus on what we can accomplish here."

Shirou fidgeted. "I'll just leave the talking to you two."

All he was good for was swinging a sword around. Talking and navigating negotiations was a task that was beyond him and better left for someone else. If his social skills were any indication, the seasoned mages would be miles better than he was at talking.

"Alright, just keep your eyes on him and make sure he doesn't try anything suspicious," Rin ordered him before turning to Marisbury. "Archer will remain in spirit form outside. What about Caster?"

"I believe Caster is accompanying Archer," Marisbury put a hand to his chin in thought. "He doesn't wish to be taken by surprise in close quarters, you see. Despite your servant's oddities, there is no denying that he will serve as an effective neutralizer of physical threats."

Caster had been acting strange recently, which is to say that he was finally starting to show some semblance of an emotional spectrum. Regardless, when Marisbury briefly questioned him, the mage had told him not to worry about it and that he's just using his magecraft to keep an eye on the house.

Marisbury had suspected there was more to it, but he let it go. After all, his servant never gave him any trouble before.

"Then we're all set to go," Rin turned towards the door and raised a hand, knocking on the wood and causing the hinges to groan. "Oi, priest! We're here!"

They didn't have to wait for even a second to hear the sound of the lock clicking. The door was slowly forced open and the elderly priest greeted them with his signature smile devoid of warmth.

Shivers went down Rin and Shirou's backs, but Marisbury just brushed it off with a smile.

"When we last met, it was just you two," He addressed Shirou and Rin before turning towards Marisbury. "Yet it seems as if you've picked up quite the ally. How could this have happened, master of Caster?"

Marisbury simply smiled back. "Because they are interesting and times are quite dire, I'm afraid."

Kirei chuckled, seemingly finding that quip funnier than it should have been.

"On that, we can agree," The priest pried the door open and gestured for them to enter. "Come, let us talk about your worries."

The trio entered the church and Kirei shut the door behind them. The sunlight dimly lit up the room through the stain glass windows, but it felt as if this place was devoid of God despite being a place of worship. Shirou took a seat in one of the pews, setting his katana comfortably on his lap. His face was composed, but he fidgeted slightly in this unfamiliar atmosphere. Rin and Marisbury seemed to be unaffected, perhaps because they were used to a field of battle where words were used instead of weapons.

Kirei stood before the altar and turned towards them. "Now... what is it that plagues you all? Do you wish to retire from the Grail War?" A coy smile formed on his face. "If that's the case, I will gladly take those command seals off your hands."

"This is no time for jokes, Kirei!" Rin exclaimed with anger, though it served nothing more than to make the priest's smile grow wider. "We have a serious problem on our hands, and you, as the overseer, have a responsibility to get rid of it!"

"Now, now, Lady Tohsaka," Marisbury placated the red devil with a comforting pat on the back before turning towards the priest. "There's been some unforeseen developments... something none of us could have foreseen."

Kirei remained silent, and Marisbury began to explain everything to him. The Matou Manor, the creation of an unknown reality, and the appearance of a god-like being who seemed to have nefarious plans. All of it was laid to bare, painting a grim picture for the future.

When he was done, Kirei did seem to understand the gravity of the situation if his neutral expression was anything to go by.

He placed his hands behind his back and gained a thoughtful look. "If what you're saying is to be believed, then I will have to inform the church immediately. The executioners will have jurisdiction over this territory and I'm afraid we won't be able to do anything else," He then smirked. "But will they be able to arrive in time?"

Marisbury shook his head. "We cannot say for certain, but it is wise that we act quickly. If left alone, it will only continue to grow more powerful... and I doubt that the Counter Force will leave it alone."

"Counter Force?" Shirou echoed, feeling a tad left out at the moment. Seriously, what were these terms being thrown about?

Luckily, Marisbury seemed to be willing to explain. "It's a system put in place designed to protect humanity. You could say that it was born from humanity's subconscious desire to survive," He held a finger up in a lecturing pose. "It's an invisible force that can take action during certain cataclysmic events. Mages have theorized that the destruction of Pompeii or even the sinking of Atlantis occurred because of the Counter Force."

Rin brought her thumb up and chewed on the nail nervously. "If the Counter Force were to respond... We can't be certain of what sort of action it may take. For all we know, it could destroy the entire city in order to wipe out the threat if nothing is done."

Shirou paled. Destroy a whole city? Just to wipe out a threat?

Kirei nodded. "Indeed. That would be quite an unfortunate outcome. Hmph. How cruel humanity is towards their own..."

"So we have no choice but to act, got it? This is no time to be focusing on the Grail," Rin's hand clenched on the pew in front of her. "So you need to use your authority as the overseer, got it? Not just for calling the executioners, but for the other servants as well."

"The other servants?" Kirei's eyes narrowed before he realized what she was referring to. "Ah, I see. Yes, I understand. You want me to enforce an alliance."

"You're the only one who can enforce an alliance," Marisbury explained. "With your authority as the overseer, we can ensure cooperation from the other servants. I seem to recall that your father did a similar thing in the 4th Holy Grail War."

"Hm... I suppose you are right," Kirei smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Very well, I shall do what is required of my position. Have you spoken of this with the other masters?"

"The master of Berserker doesn't know, but we can go and inform her," Rin frowned. "But even though we've met lancer, none of us have met his master. We also haven't made contact with the Rider-class servant either, nor the Assassin-class servant."

Huh. That's right. Thinking back on it, Shirou didn't remember ever meeting Rider or Assassin. Perhaps they were already dead?

Kirei hummed. "Well, it matters little. The Rider-class servant belongs to a member of the Matou family. She won't be able to help you." He ran his fingers across the altar. "As for Assassin... I do not know. Neither the master nor the servant have registered."

"Then we're short one servant... though I suppose we should be grateful it is the Assassin-class," Marisbury chuckled humorlessly.

Rin shot him an annoyed look, but she could understand where he was coming from. Most Assassins didn't excel in fighting direct conflicts and were tailored more towards killing masters. If they were fighting a demon, it would require as much brute force as possible in order to vanquish the threat. An Assassin's tricks would have no use for them here.

"As for Lancer," Kirei trailed off. "Well, that will not be difficult. Leave him to me."

Shirou felt that there was something more to that statement, but he decided not to question it. The less he knew, the better.

Looking at them, Kirei nodded once he realized that there was nothing left to discuss. "Then I shall call for a ceasefire and a temporary alliance until the issue is solved. Starting now, the Grail War is on hold until the threat is neutralz-"

The priest was suddenly cut off as the front door was blown open and Archer ran inside. Shirou quickly stood up and both Rin and Marisbury spun in surprise. The servant's expression was panicked, immediately alerting everyone that something was horribly wrong.

"Master! Get down!"

Then the wall behind the altar exploded, with purple mist beginning to seep into the room.

* * *

Caster quickly appeared and held out his hand, stopping the rubble from smashing into those present. Kotomine quickly backed up to stand alongside Shirou, who stood up and quickly unsheathed his sword.

Archer quickly projected his twin swords and stood in front of Rin protectively, his look far more serious than anything she had ever seen before.

"Archer..." She muttered in shock. "How did you know?"

"Caster's premonition," Archer spoke, not taking his eyes off the smoke cloud in front of him. "His eyes gave him a vision of what was to come. Luckily, it came fast enough that we were able to react."

Clairvoyance EX, a skill by itself meant that one would be able to view the past and future through visions. They could show events from around a couple of minutes in the future to a few years. One couldn't always control when or what they saw, nor could it show the path that would lead to a certain event. Regardless, it was an ability given to only the most supreme. One wouldn't be able to call themselves someone who stood at the top of all magi unless they held this ability.

Still, Caster saw it as both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes he saw events of humanity's greatest triumphs... other times he'd watch their potential downfall. Yet, because of his station, he was always forced to act as a bystander and a guide rather than directly intervene in most affairs. Only by the will of God would he take action.

More machine than man as they'd say.

It was fortunate that his eyes allowed him to bear witness to their imminent danger. Otherwise, they may not have had the chance to respond in time.

"Stay behind us," Caster spoke as he floated alongside Archer. He clenched his fist and the rubble disintegrated, scattering into the air. "This is no ordinary threat. Make no mistake, this danger is related to that which comes from the Matou household."

That explained the purple mist. The quality and quantity wasn't the same as when they had stepped into the alien realm, but it was enough to put everyone on edge. The purple haze clung to the floor in wispy tendrils, eerily spreading across the room as if to assimilate everything here.

The sound of footsteps could be heard from the hole in the wall, and a man soon stepped through.

"So you were able to react fast enough. As expected from those who have earned their spot in the Throne of Heroes."

A man stepped through the hole and planted his feet firmly on the ground. He was dressed in what appeared to be an old-school suit from the victorian era. A blue tie hung around his neck, kept in place by a messy collar. His blue hair was unkempt and messily made, swaying in the breeze and oddly reminding Shirou of seaweed. His red eyes were narrowed into slits, similar to that of a vicious viper ready to strike.

For some reason... it felt as if he'd seen him before. Or at least, something quite similar to this man.

Gah! It was on the tip of his tongue, but he knew the answer was there! What was it?!

"It is a shame. For all of you to have gathered together in one place like this... and in such a secluded area at that... It'll make the hunt far too short for me to enjoy this," The man raised his fist and clenched it, letting the fabric squeeze through his finger as he sighed. "It doesn't matter. Sooner or later, you will be exterminated. The goddess has deemed your lives as forfeit. I am here to carry out her will."

Rin bristled at that and glared at the man, her fear quickly shaken off and forgotten. "And who are you?! A servant?"

"I'm a magus," The man replied gruffly, his tone holding no hint of a lie. "Just like you and that child over there... I am someone who walks forward in order to advance my own self-interests."

Marisbury frowned, realizing that the man wasn't addressing Shirou like he had initially thought. "Child? I beg your pardon my mysterious friend, but I am no child. I am a lord of the Clocktower."

"Yes, yes, the lord who presides over the Astrology department," The man's nose wrinkled. "I met your ancestors before you were born, do not think I wouldn't recognize your father's likeness."

The man's declaration made Marisbury freeze. This man knew his ancestors? Then he must have been older than his appearance suggested. It wasn't rare for a mage to utilize magecraft to extend their lives and youth, but there were very few who could actually perform such a ritual correctly without destroying their body or ego. What stood before them must have been a superb mage, but if he had not said so then he could have mistaken him for a servant. The magical energy he was radiating was beyond the purity and quantity of a modern mage.

"Ah, I see," Kirei hummed, though his face actually twitched somewhat in distaste. "I didn't recognize you at first. Your appearance is different, not to mention that smell of yours is masked somewhat, but traces of who you once were is unmistakable to me."

"What? You know this guy, Kirei?" Rin blinked in surprise.

Kirei chuckled dryly in response. "You know him as well, Rin. Look closely and observe. Who does he most remind you of? Personality aside, there is only one person you can compare him to, no?"

Rin frowned and stared at the mage for a handful of seconds before her eyes widened in realization. "W-wait a minute... that can't be!"

Shirou glanced at her in concern as her mouth slowly opened in shock and disbelief. "Rin?"

"This is impossible... How can 'that' turn into this?!" Rin babbled, looking visibly stressed.

The man's face twitched in amusement over her reaction. "I can understand your confusion, but there is a clear explanation for all this," He spread his arms wide dramatically. "It is a gift imparted onto me by that goddess... the one who resides within my home. I'd be thankful... if it didn't mean I was shackled to her like a damn pup," His gaze resembled something slightly apologetic. _Slightly. _"So hold a grudge, if you must, but know that this isn't personal. I have been called here to dispose of you."

He held out his hand and revealed a full set of command seals, twisted in a way that it resembled what appeared to be a snake with a pair of wings. The mark pulsed red with power, signifying the authority it had over the strongest of familiars.

"Brought back to my prime, there is no need to hide this farce any longer. I cast away the title of Matou, and reclaim my true identity!"

The earth began to shake and Shirou's hair began to stand on end. His grip tightened on his sword, and he realized that everyone else was getting ready for a fight as well. Rin's hands now held several jewels between her fingers, and Kotomine Kirei had drawn several blades, holding them in the same manner. Marisbury's mouth was moving, muttering what he could only guess were spells under his breath.

"Now!" The man roared. "I, Makiri Zolgen, summon you, monster from the Shapeless Isle! Appear before us and devour our goddesses's enemies!"

Before anyone could react, the ground exploded. Soon, a gaping hole was beginning to form, revealing the basement beneath.

Shirou quickly scrambled to the side and dove onto stable ground, Kotomine jumping beside him. Unfortunately, Rin and Marisbury had been too close to the opening and couldn't react in time. The masters and servants were sent falling into the darkness below, Rin's shrill screaming accompanying them.

Makiri Zolgen's red eyes turned towards them, a small smile forming on his face. "Kotomine Kirei... If I recall, my old self was quite cautious of you. He feared that you may have exercised his weaken soul and put him down before he could achieve his wish."

"I will not deny that I was quite tempted to," Kirei replied cooly as he reached into his sleeve. To Shirou's surprise, the priest flicked his wrist and three blades seemingly materialized from the spaces between his hands. "You were always slithering where you didn't belong."

"Hm... Perhaps the same could be said for you," Zolgen murmured as he stepped forward, tendrils of magical energy visible within the palm of his hand. "You remind me of Rasputin. Outward appearance aside, you are nearly identical in personality. It's disgusting."

Kirei remained silent and instead turned towards Shirou, beckoning him to stand. "Raise your blade, boy. He may not be a servant, but he is a mage who has left his mark in the moonlit world. Do not underestimate him under any circumstances."

"I know," Shirou grumbled as he stood up. "You should focus more on yourself."

Zolgen eyed him curiously as he raised his sword, studying the blade with a critical eye.

"How interesting... the fusion of a heroic spirit and a human has led to something quite interesting," Zolgen said, voice dripping with barely restrained curiosity. "I wonder what sort of data I could obtain just by studying you..."

"That won't be happening," Shirou barked, fighting off the shiver that went down his back. The prospect of ending up as this man's plaything didn't sit well with him.

Zolgen's smile was utterly predatory.

"We shall see."

* * *

"Archer!" Rin let out a screech as panic began to take over and she started to flail her arms like they were a set of wings. Unfortunately, she was no bird.

Luckily, Archer easily responded to her call despite the sudden change of events. Bringing himself closer to her, he drew her into his arms and braced for impact as the ground quickly approached. His ankles absorbed the shock as they slammed into the floor below, leaving Rin unharmed other than having her breath briefly knocked out of her.

"Uwah..." Rin groaned as Archer gently let her down. She stood on shaky legs and took a deep breath to compose herself. "That was the worst..."

"Do not lower your guard, Tohsaka," Marisbury warned as he and Caster floated down to land next to them. "The enemy is all around us."

"It is the Rider servant," Caster declared as he stood beside Archer, his brow furrowed slightly as if he were disturbed. "But there is something wrong... I'm detecting an abnormal shift in the air. It is as if the presence is... undergoing some sort of change."

As soon as he said that, something shot out of the shadows at a breakneck speed. Caster teleported himself and Marisbury out of the way, leaving Archer to defend himself through physical means. He stepped in front of Rin and quickly raised his swords, defending against a kick that would have sent his master flying into the wall.

"!"

Archer's swords were quickly smashed as his opponent quickly brought the other leg around with an astonishing display of physical strength. Before another attack could come, Caster quickly shot a fireball towards the mysterious attacker, forcing them to back off.

Taking the chance to catch his breath, Archer found himself taking in just who his opponent was, and it was someone he definitely recognized from his past life.

But everything was just so... wrong.

Rider, the purple-haired beauty who had been summoned by Sakura and served Shinji, stood before him. Her figure was just like how he remembered. A highly trained body with exceptionally powerful legs that could easily smash steel. A purple blindfold covered her eyes, preventing those who looked upon her from instantly turning to stone. Two iron nails were grasped in each hand, connected by a thin chain worn with rust.

But the major difference she had now was that there was one golden wing jutting from her back. It gave her a fallen angel look, which was fitting considering Zolgen had referred to her as the monster from the Shapeless Isle.

When she opened her mouth to speak, it was far more malevolent and monstrous than he remembered.

"What quick reflexes," She crooned, her once monotone voice carrying a hint of mocking amusement. "A shame... if I hadn't been ordered to kill you, I would have kept you around as my little pet. You aren't like the those feeble men who showed up on my shore many eons ago," Her gaze turned towards Caster. "And you... you smell like a king, but not like any I've seen."

Caster remained silent, not dignifying that statement with a response. Rider's face twitched and she turned towards him.

"My goddess was worried about you. I do not understand why, but I shall take care of you here and now!"

With explosive speed, she lunged forward. The distance between them had been crossed so quickly that even Archer's eyes weren't able to fully track her. If it had been any normal heroic spirit, that strike would have meant certain death.

But Caster simply raised his hand in response, forming a barrier between them. Rider's strike was blocked, releasing a shockwave which sent cracks up the wall around them. Rider snarled and stabbed forward once again, but the barrier still held strong.

Marisbury smiled. "Do not underestimate my servant. The King of Magecraft stands before you. His spells are more than enough to deal with a monster from the Age of the Gods."

"Amazing," Rin muttered in awe as she stood behind the protective barrier. She had heard the tales of Solomon before, the one who laid the foundations for modern magecraft, but she never imagined just how powerful he'd be in person. A hastily erected barrier was able to stop a strike from one of the most famous heroic spirits in the world.

The monster of the Shapeless Isle... that could only reference Medusa the Gorgon. That blindfold around her eyes only sealed the deal.

Rider hissed. "Do not think this barrier will save you. Even if my strikes cannot reach you, my gaze will!"

"Rin, Marisbury, look away!" Archer ordered.

The two masters quickly shut their eyes and averted their gaze as Rider let the blindfold fall from her eyes. Her purple eyes gazed upon them, square pupils burning holes into their very being. Archer gritted his teeth as he began to feel the very cells in his body solidify slowly. His magic resistance simply wasn't strong enough to hold back the mystery of petrification.

Luckily, he had a top tier mage on his side. By simply waving his hand, Archer felt the petrification beginning to slow down. A white hue had enveloped his entire body, which he realized to be a protective barrier which served to ward off lethal magecraft.

"Damn you!" Rider howled as her eyes narrowed into slits. "Do not think this barrier will hold up against my full might!"

As she said that, another golden wing sprouted from her back. Her physical form began to grow taller, and her purple hair grew darker and longer. Scales began to grow alongside her feet and a tail slowly sprouted behind her, coiling on the ground and causing her feet to leave the ground as she rose up.

Her black dress ripped at the seams as her form grew larger. It soon burst completely, revealing her naked form with only several black scales serving to cover her private regions.

"Her container is changing at an increased rate," Caster announced, his eyes glowing. "It isn't something that should be found in the Grail War... It is something from the Extra classes, not included in the original seven containers meant to battle each other. This one is full of rage at humanity, anger so great that it threatens to destroy those who get close without discrimination. She is... an Avenger class."

Archer cursed. "Avenger? How is that possible?"

"It seems her skill of Innocent Monster brought out this side of her. Overuse began to revert her to the ancient monster known as the 'Gorgon'."

"Archer!" Rin squeaked, her eyes still completely shut. "Destroy her! Do whatever you have to do! I don't know what the hell is going on, but you have to take care of her now!"

"Back him up, Caster," Marisbury ordered. "I'll provide you with magical energy. Do what needs to be done."

Archer and Caster nodded, preparing themselves as Rider- no, Gorgon, turned her eyes back on them once more. She bared her teeth, revealing fangs that could easily rip a demonic beast in half.

"I've devoured countless heroes like you two," Gorgon snarled, voice literally dripping with venom. "You will fall like the rest. If you will not succumb to petrification, then I will simply do things the old fashioned way!"

With a mighty roar, she charged forward, revealing just why she was one of the most famous monsters in all of human history.


End file.
